Originally Posted by
ridelikeaturtle
Lots of ways to keep your bar tape clean. But if your bike is already so dirty that your hands get destroyed changing a flat, that's not the bar tape's fault, and it will probably be dirty in any case.
Take your gloves off first.
Use your bike shorts, or socks, to clean most crap off your hands.
Carry a rag.
Its a rare day I agree with Bob, but you do realize you are in the touring forum here, right? What touring bike in use doesnt have grease/road grime/brake dust on the chain, tires, and cassette? Carrying a rag is fine to do, but I cant imagine creating my decisions with aesthetics as the primary motivation.
The OP goes thru bikes like water, so his situation is almost certainly different from what considerations to make for touring. For him, sure- white bar tape works great. And even for touring, white bar tape can work great, but just accept that itll get grimy from rain, sweat, dust, and hands. Wiping off my hands with a towel before touching bar tape seems like the last thing I want to remember each time I get on my bike.
As always, to each their own though.