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

smidsy

Let us be under no illusions here - people with black tape simply have dirty tape but are happy that they can not see the dirt. Those with white tape know when it is dirty and want to clean it :-)

rolf_f

smidsy wrote:

Let us be under no illusions here - people with black tape simply have dirty tape but are happy that they can not see the dirt. Those with white tape know when it is dirty and want to clean it :-)

This is true. It is why people who say that black bikes are easier to keep clean are hopelessly wrong. Black bikes are actually hell to keep clean as it is hard to see which bits are clean and which are not.

However, what you missed is in your second sentence. I'll fix it for you!

smidsy wrote:

Those with white tape know when it is dirty and want to clean it but generally can't be bothered and live with a scruffy looking bike!

BTW to these tricks work on the foamy sort of white bar tape. I tried cleaning the tape of a mates Bianchi (a bit pointless as he is the sort of person who covers anything white with muck as soon as he sees it) and failed miserably.

king_jeffers

Okay, personal result so far:

GT85 - 0
Soapy water + old (or wifes) toothbrush - 1

Davey C

Flash spray with bleach.

navrig

Tippex, simple.

rpd_steve

I find the beat method is to remove the tape and place in bin, then replace with black bar tape.

Rule 8.

MartinB2444

Don't clean it! Have the rest of your bike looking pristine but the tale of the tape show that you actually ride the thing.

Martin

Yukirin

warm soapy water and a fresh scourer sponge. When that stops working its new tape time. Nobody is going to stand inches from my bike bars to observe the odd stain, anyway.

furiousd

As above, baby wipes work a treat.
D

Redsteveb

Try a little bleach, mixed with plenty of warm water...works a treat.

Aggieboy

Seriously? 3 f'in pages on keeping white bar tape clean!!

Redsteveb

Sorry, Aggieboy, what's your problem? A valid question was posted in the right forum...if it offends you then so be it.

kisertn

Frustrating to read so many idiot posts on switching to colored tape (read the post header before posting).

I have white tape, plan to stay with white tape, think it looks waaaayyyyy better than colored tape (at least on my bike) and so am interested in how to tend to it so that it lasts as long as possible. To asnwer the original poster in the spirit of the question posed, I use Wesley's Bleach White, I find it at car care stores. Designed to whiten the white stripe or letters on some care tires. It's not perfect, and it still requires elbow grease - but with care I can get a set of white handlebar tape to last 3-6 months.

king_jeffers

haha I'm loving this has went 3 pages. Everything from carpet cleaner to GT85

Soapy water works + toothbrush, baby wipes not so good. Not yet tried bicarb soda, bleach or replaced with black tape

Think I'll probably get another coupe of months then switch to Fizik tape (white), see how it goes.

woodywmb

Anyone tried Muck Off's WBT (white bar tape) cleanser?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4ByTa7yPJc

coombsfh

I dont any more. Gave up after first couple of tries.

Lucky Douglas

The best solution I've found is lemon furniture polish applied with a white tea towel then rinsed off

steve_muzzy

I have yellow and found hope sh@t shifter sprayed on, left for 5 then rinsed works a treat

Blonde Cyclist

I have deda's white carbon effect bar tape. Wipes clean and I get to giggle every time I see it!

buzzwold

Very interesting as after only after 100 miles the tape's looking dirty. I'll use my favourite all purpose cleaner - White Spirit - and then wash down afterwards. When the white tape gives up the ghost, I'll swap it out, probably for white again 'cos I'm stupid.

king_jeffers

White tape has gone

Buckie2k5

my new bike not been delivered yet and im already wishing it never had white tape now lol

Sprool

WHITE. It's the new black.
Baby wipes.

LegendLust

I can't be bothered reading through all this but has anybody posted about Cif?

I use Cif on my white bar tape and it works a treat

Sprool

what is cif?

smidsy

Used to be called Jif when I was a lad (bloomin Brussells changed that).

Basically cream cleaner designed for cleaning kitchen surfaces etc. It is mildly abrasive though.

Pigtail

I don't clean it. Two years in, been changed once for a specialized tape and its a greyish colour at contact points with occasional oily streaks. Drive train is cleaned and lubed almost every ride, bike is wiped with baby wipes at least once a week and washed if its been out in wet dirty conditions but tape is never cleaned. I always wear gloves and try not to touch the bars with mucky hands if I'm cleaning / fettling. Next bike will have black tape!

DesB3rd

Baby wipes.

Grease, sick, cam-cream, days of underarm clag and even luminous orange curry liqueur - there is nothing baby wipes can't deal with. The real miracle is that babies don't end up with with 3rd degree burns after each nappy change.

Redsteveb

Autoglym car polish (the one with the red label) comes up a treat.

smidsy

Redsteveb wrote:

Autoglym car polish (the one with the red label) comes up a treat.

And makes the bars very slippy I imagine.