Help me choose new Bar Tape.....

Pouts
Pouts Posts: 34
edited July 2013 in Road beginners
Evening All,

Just after a little advice with regards to bar tape.

After several hundred miles on my Cube Peloton Pro the previously white bar tape is now looking rather grey and has torn/worn away on one side...

So new tape required...

Now the colour of the bike is predominantly blue/black. The saddle is white (according to the "rules" this is an important factor)

The question is, is white the only real choice I have? I ask as I fancy brightening it up a bit!

Any ideas welcome???

Thanks

Comments

  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Buy a black saddle so you can have black bar tape. Worst case keep your white saddle and still buy black bar tape.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • lawrences
    lawrences Posts: 1,011
    Just get some black stuff and keep the saddle. The "rules" are for a laugh not for pissing cash out the window.
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,130
    fizik microtex

    white is easy to clean vs. some other brands/types

    or choose another colour, when you're sat on the bike no one can see the saddle that well, unless they're staring at your bum, in which case they may not be the sort of person you'd want to encourage anyway
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • crikey
    crikey Posts: 362
    It's bar tape.

    Just go and buy some.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Just get black. Even the Fizik stuff still needs effort to keep clean. Black looks good even if you haven't cleaned it in years and it is harbouring the ebola virus. The black cork tape on my Ribble has been on for 12000 miles and still looks fine.

    And black tape and white saddle looks good.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    Rolf F wrote:
    Just get black. Even the Fizik stuff still needs effort to keep clean. Black looks good even if you haven't cleaned it in years and it is harbouring the ebola virus. The black cork tape on my Ribble has been on for 12000 miles and still looks fine.

    And black tape and white saddle looks good.

    As above, Most tape kind of ends up a dingy black after a while anyway. Lizardskin is probably the easiest to keep clean and its even more grippy when wet. Saying that most tape is good for the job these days. Except Selle Italia Smoo tape. That stuff is just rubbish that rips too easy and falls apart.
  • Sprool
    Sprool Posts: 1,022
    I vote white. Very similar paint job to my Scott S30, white saddle black frame with blue flashes, white bar tape just looks so good. Cycling is all about the look, well not all but for no extra cost you can make it look bling. I've just put black bar tape on mine and it looks dull and utilitarian. Cant wait for it to wear out so I can put some white back on it again!
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Sprool wrote:
    I vote white. Very similar paint job to my Scott S30, white saddle black frame with blue flashes, white bar tape just looks so good. Cycling is all about the look, well not all but for no extra cost you can make it look bling. I've just put black bar tape on mine and it looks dull and utilitarian. Cant wait for it to wear out so I can put some white back on it again!

    Having a bike with a dull paintjob isn't the fault of the bar tape! Anyway, you'll be fine soon - I reckon my tape has another 8000 miles in it so 20k miles or so and you should be back on white :lol:
    Faster than a tent.......
  • chuckla
    chuckla Posts: 132
    My black felt Z85 has black bar tape and a white saddle as standard! Looks tidy!
  • woodywmb
    woodywmb Posts: 669
    Get the new Lizard Skins Chameleon tape. This continually changes colour to suit the different shades and tones of other components on the bike. The hi viz version glows in the dark and automatically switches off for daytime riding.
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1296598/
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    crikey wrote:
    It's bar tape.

    Just go and buy some.

    As above - cheaper the better. If you were selecting a new Connolly hide interior for an Aston Martin I could understand the dilemma - but it's just bar tape.
  • Pouts
    Pouts Posts: 34
    Imposter wrote:
    crikey wrote:
    It's bar tape.

    Just go and buy some.

    As above - cheaper the better. If you were selecting a new Connolly hide interior for an Aston Martin I could understand the dilemma - but it's just bar tape.


    Funny you should mention that, I was just posting on the Aston Martin owners forum asking exactly that question. What would you suggest???

    PS- bought some black bar tape today....thanks all, apologies Grill but the white saddle is comfy so I'm keeping it!
  • dee4life2005
    dee4life2005 Posts: 773
    I have a white beone frame, with red decals ... currently has white fizik microtec bar tape and a white sadddle. The bar tape is about ready for a change ... was thinking about black bar tape this time ??
    (though the which fizik microtec stuff does keep clean longer than most white tapes).
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/307297
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    I found Fizik microtex didn't wrap very well - I much prefer Lizard Skins DSP even though its expensive and less durable.
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    I found Fizik microtex didn't wrap very well - I much prefer Lizard Skins DSP even though its expensive and less durable.


    Not just me finding Fizik tape not wrapping well. Mind has started to shift on the bar, even thought im using the sticky strip underneath which I normally leave unused
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    SmoggySteve wrote:
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    I found Fizik microtex didn't wrap very well - I much prefer Lizard Skins DSP even though its expensive and less durable.


    Not just me finding Fizik tape not wrapping well. Mind has started to shift on the bar, even thought im using the sticky strip underneath which I normally leave unused

    I found there just wasn't enough stretch for it to make the turns without getting lumpy.

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