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Bar tape color opinions

Old 09-03-20, 03:30 PM
  #1  
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Bar tape color opinions

Light blue, dark blue or black? I usually go with black but thought I’d try something different and can’t decide.
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Old 09-03-20, 03:40 PM
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Of those three: dark blue.

Where's the white option?
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Old 09-03-20, 03:44 PM
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I don’t like white, get dirty way to fast.
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Old 09-03-20, 04:15 PM
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Dark blue or yellow
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Old 09-03-20, 04:16 PM
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This is the touring board, stuff gets dirty and beat up, something that does not show dirt very well is ideal.

I however have found that a kitchen plastic scouring pad like Scotch Brite is not bad for cleaning cork tape.
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Old 09-03-20, 04:17 PM
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Whatever color your saddle is.
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Old 09-03-20, 04:32 PM
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Dirty white bar tape still looks better than black bar tape that should've been white in the first place.
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Old 09-03-20, 05:29 PM
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The lighter blue which most closely matches the frame color would be so avant garde.
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Old 09-05-20, 05:34 AM
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Black, the blue will clash with blue frame. The other colors will not tie in with the green stem cap.
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Old 09-08-20, 10:34 PM
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Tape matches saddle.
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Old 09-09-20, 05:15 AM
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Tape matches the saddle, and stem & spacers match the seat post.
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Old 09-09-20, 06:51 AM
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What's on sale?
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Old 09-09-20, 06:59 AM
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Another fashion vote for tape matches saddle.
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Old 09-09-20, 08:20 AM
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Originally Posted by pdlamb
What's on sale?

This is the correct answer...I too pick what's on sale...or black...or on sale
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Old 09-09-20, 04:35 PM
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Originally Posted by pdlamb
What's on sale?
This. I'm about to wrap my bars in purple tape because it was 1/3 the price of the other colors from the same brand. The bike has a hunter-green, tan, & black colorway with cream highlights, for reference. I also just added red brake cable housing because it was cheap and available. Oh, and there's wood-grain accent from the PDW luggage rack. I'll post before & after pictures when I'm done; I fully expect everyone on this forum will gush endlessly about how good my hunter-green, tan, black, cream, purple, and red bike looks.
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Old 09-09-20, 05:18 PM
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P for practical ..

Fix a rear flat tire you will have black smunge on your hands ..

will you have hand cleaner with you, or just grab the bars & leave black goo.. on the tape.
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Old 09-09-20, 05:49 PM
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I have taped my one of my bikes a few days ago and this time I matched the tire sidewalls :-)


photo is from today's lunch break ride
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Old 09-09-20, 06:54 PM
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Of those choices, the dark blue.

...Although Yellow would look good as well, to match the accent on the water bottles... But then again, I have yellow on my '86 Miyata 710 (metallic gray with yellow headtube and yellow brake housing) and it does get dirty quick - but it also cleans up well... Some tape brands are easier to clean than others.
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Old 09-09-20, 07:18 PM
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Black and blue 'splash' tape. Or black. Or what's on sale.
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Old 09-10-20, 01:38 PM
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Use both blues using a harlequin wrap.
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Old 09-10-20, 03:00 PM
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Originally Posted by fietsbob
Fix a rear flat tire you will have black smunge on your hands ..

will you have hand cleaner with you, or just grab the bars & leave black goo.. on the tape.
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.
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Old 09-14-20, 11:48 AM
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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.
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Old 09-14-20, 01:28 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by mstateglfr
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.
You are right, I do buy and sell a lot. But this one is a keeper with big plans in the future. You’d be surprised on how many keepers I actually own.
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Old 09-14-20, 10:40 PM
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I would use both with Harlequin braid.
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Old 09-16-20, 08:50 AM
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I was going to say blue and white

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