To those with white bar tape - what do you clean it with?

king_jeffers

New bike, white bar tape, love the look put after two rides its picked up a couple of stains, any ideas on what to clean it with?

Here : http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/ ... -tape-bike they recommend oven cleaner!!!?!?!

A youtube video suggested furniture polish - this didn't work. Also tried dabbing with a bit of kitchen cleaner, no joy. Not sure if carpet cleaner might do the trick? Any ideas?!

ba68

First of all I would recommend you wear mits and wash them regularly, I used to have white tape and used vanish stain remover which worked well. However you need to accept that white tape won't stay pearly white for long.

smidsy

Baby wipes often do the trick. You can clean almost anything on a bike with them.

ToeKnee

Is this a trick question? :?
Black/coloured bar tape?
HTH

rolf_f

Carefully apply a thin layer of black bar tape over the bar tape. I think you'll find then it stays clean for ages!

Unless it is the vinyl style Fizik stuff, I doubt you'll keep it clean.

king_jeffers

Rolf F wrote:

Carefully apply a thin layer of black bar tape over the bar tape. I think you'll find then it stays clean for ages!

Unless it is the vinyl style Fizik stuff, I doubt you'll keep it clean.

Will give it a blast cleaning later on, failing that might go for another colour :-/

Ringo 68

smidsy wrote:

Baby wipes often do the trick. You can clean almost anything on a bike with them.

This. Cleans white bar tape a treat.

Extralight

White bar tape does indeed look good, when it's new. I used to use warm soapy water made up with quite a lot of fairy liquid (other brands are available) in it. This would get it quite clean, but could leave it feeling a bit sticky, so sometimes needed wiping again with just water.

However, I run black tape now, and it looks almost as good. No cleaning required!

wishitwasallflat

Change it to black - it's the rules

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/

singleton

I had white tape on a previous bike and it didn't get very dirty - although I id ride a lot in the rain...

ShutUpLegs

Spit & Elbow grease

Bobbinogs

The Fizik Microtek stuff is relatively easy to clean with most things but I have a bike with some Cinelli white tape and just don't clean it. I gave up on it some time ago as it is more effort than I can be bothered with (I am certainly not going to be donning rubber gloves and using oven cleaner, etc.). Looks ok in minging white, gives the bike a nice 'used' feel.

klep

I'm riding white bar tape. Wear mitts and they dont get dirty much. If they do get dirty, soapy water and a sponge works.

Duffer65

Black, black, black. I fought a long and hard battle trying to keep my white bar tape and saddle sparkling white...but gave up and went for black. And now my life is complete.

slowondefy2

Fizik Microtex has a reputation for staying white.

smidsy

The Fizik also comes in a gloss finish option so it cleans nicely too if it does get dirt on it.

The gloss looks the mutts too - I have Black gloss.

sungod

as above, fizik microtex tape if you want it to stay white longer and be easy to clean

a bit of washing up liquid on a wet cloth cleans it up very well

king_jeffers

slowondefy2 wrote:

Fizik Microtex has a reputation for staying white.

I've had this bookmarked for a while now over at Wiggle... will see how I get on. Great reviews

timrichardson

i cant stand black bar tape, i keep my white bar tape clean with cream cleaner. it works a treat.

Bordersroadie

Who the hell wants to spend precious time cleaning bar tape?

Black.

nochekmate

timrichardson wrote:

i cant stand black bar tape, i keep my white bar tape clean with cream cleaner. it works a treat.

+1 - something like Jif seems to work well on most makes of white bar tape (although the Fizik Microtex on my best bike is usually fine with just the baby ass wipes)

schlepcycling

nochekmate wrote:

timrichardson wrote:

i cant stand black bar tape, i keep my white bar tape clean with cream cleaner. it works a treat.

+1 - something like Jif seems to work well on most makes of white bar tape

+1 - Jif/Cif does the job nicely.

andy46

I just use Fairy Liquid on a cloth for my white saddle and this usually works for me. I got the lbs to put black tape on the bike before I picked it up though, I thought the white tape was too much as the bars are painted white also.

rolf_f

However, do note that you never actually see bikes with clean white bar tape on the roads unless virtually new or if they are Microtex'd. In other words, in theory you can keep them clean but in practice you (mostly) won't!

timrichardson

I just slap it on when I am washing my bike. Easy!

pdsalmon

Vanish power foam....

Spary on, leave 5 mins, scrub off with a rag, brush etc

Bozman

Buy new every month or replace your tape and saddle for black because you just can't be bothered to clean them anymore, then you'll realise that black looks better anyway.

ilm_zero7

klep wrote:

I'm riding white bar tape. Wear mitts and they dont get dirty much. If they do get dirty, soapy water and a sponge works.

yes indeed - once a week - and i also find buying mitts with lighter palms works too

TrickyGB

Spray GT85 onto some plain white kitchen roll, rub on bar tape. Works a treat. Read it in a magazine somewhere and swear by it

Soni

I now have black bar tape, however when i had white, i first used Jiff, but that started turning the tape a slight yellowish colour, then went onto Groom car upholstery cleaner, its a foam spray, spray it on, it fizzles and eats into the dirt, then whipe it off a few minutes later, works a treat.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_255236

Just not as good as Black tape

Polkascott

Bicarb of Soda and wet cloth. Easy!