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The big one - what colour bartape?

kleinstrokerkleinstroker Posts: 2,133
edited March 2016 in Road buying advice
This is driving me nuts, I have been slowly buying all the parts for my next dream build Cannondale Synapse Carbon Force, and have come to the big one, what colour bartape?

Stealth - too safe, white - too impractical or fuoro? But which Yellow or orange? I'm heading toward fluoro...

synapse-color_zps6monq3og.jpg

Posts

  • singletonsingleton Posts: 2,349
    Have you considered Rule #8?
  • BobbinogsBobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    ...or just buying the one YOU like the look of.
  • Omar LittleOmar Little Posts: 2,010
    white or black matches the frame better.

    I've had yellow before and it shows up the dirt even worse than white, i imagine it will be the same for orange
  • philbar72philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    Black.
  • lesfirthlesfirth Posts: 1,363
    White.
  • kleinstrokerkleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    Singleton wrote:
    Have you considered Rule #8?
    I have completely forgotten the rules after reading them some years ago, so you had better remind me!
  • kleinstrokerkleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    Bobbinogs wrote:
    ...or just buying the one YOU like the look of.
    The problem is Bobbinogs, I like them all.

    That is what is giving me sleepless nights., imagine the embarrassment of turning up at Richmond Park one Sunday with awful bar tape choice. Mortifying!
  • nuclearred955nuclearred955 Posts: 81
    Black - because any of the others will look vile & manky after a fortnight.

    Plus you didn't include red. :)
  • kleinstrokerkleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    NuclearRed955 wrote:
    Black - because any of the others will look vile & manky after a fortnight.

    Plus you didn't include red. :)

    Ruby red might look good!
  • BobbinogsBobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    When in doubt, black.

    Flouro and white look good but you would have to be prepared to put up with them looking a bit gash after a short time. Trying to endless clean them with babywipes, etc., is just fighting a losing battle :-)
  • sungodsungod Posts: 15,399
    imho you need the hoods to match, otherwise it looks odd

    i've had white tape/hoods for years, fizik microtex doesn't mark easily and if necessary cleans up well with washing up liquid

    but i just switched to sram etap and the only hoods available are black, the mismatch is grating

    i'd choose between white red and black, but if you habitually wear jersey/gloves of another colour you might consider coordinating
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • hubcaphubcap Posts: 163
    White.......always white.
  • andcpandcp Posts: 644
    Grey?
    http://www.tweekscycles.com/Product.do? ... ArOX8P8HAQ
    "It must be true, it's on the internet" - Winston Churchill
  • ElfedElfed Posts: 459
    Same colour as the saddle.
  • kleinstrokerkleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    Elfed wrote:
    Same colour as the saddle.
    That is what I have always done previously and it works. Wanted to break out of my habits a bit
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    Black is the only sensible choice.
  • singletonsingleton Posts: 2,349
    kleinstroker wrote:
    I have completely forgotten the rules after reading them some years ago, so you had better remind me!

    Rule #8 // Saddles, bars, and tires shall be carefully matched.

    Valid options are:
    Match the saddle to the bars and the tires to black; or
    Match the bars to the color of the frame at the top of the head tube and the saddle to the color of the frame at the top of the seat tube and the tires to the color where they come closest to the frame; or
    Match the saddle and the bars to the frame decals; or
    Black, black, black
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Sorry, but they all look rubbish IMO. Black being the least rubbish.

    They are all just too bold.
    There is a big range of 'blacks'. How gloss/matt. What texture/finish.
    Dark grey might be nice.
  • kleinstrokerkleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    Carbonator wrote:
    Sorry, but they all look rubbish IMO. Black being the least rubbish.

    They are all just too bold.
    There is a big range of 'blacks'. How gloss/matt. What texture/finish.
    Dark grey might be nice.

    I'm heading to Dark Grey, not quite as boring as black but practical and should match pretty well
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Winter bike - black.

    Summer bike definitely deserves some colour, fluoro is definitely in at the mo
  • darkhairedlorddarkhairedlord Posts: 7,178
    The saddle is not even level.
    And some pedals might help too.
  • rob13rob13 Posts: 430
    Black.

    Or red..
  • BasonjourneBasonjourne Posts: 9
    I'd say black or prologo black and white , but what do I know :?
  • DeVlaeminckDeVlaeminck Posts: 8,353
    For looks I'd go for white - some clean up pretty well but if you want it to last until you want to recable your bike then it's probably not going to last that long. The grey might be a good shout, just get the texture right, I've got some flouro stuff on my winter bike and it's really slippy with winter gloves on.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • 852Kompol852Kompol Posts: 67
    I would say Grey is fine IMHO,

    though a dual tone black/fluro would be deemed acceptable if the cable outers/saddle /seat post clamp/bolts were all changed to a similar color to match...
  • N0bodyOfTheGoatN0bodyOfTheGoat Posts: 5,458
    Do the right thing and honour Mr Blobby, by running a tape of yellow and a tape of pink in opposite rotations to create a "harlequin" effect.;)
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
    2016 Voodoo Wazoo
  • kleinstrokerkleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    Have gone for boring old black, though black with some style and panache. Fabric Knurl Tape looks the biz

    https://www.evanscycles.com/fabric-knurl-bar-tape-EV223768
  • kleinstrokerkleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    coriordan wrote:
    Winter bike - black.

    Summer bike definitely deserves some colour, fluoro is definitely in at the mo

    A lone voice for fluoro.

    As Others have said might have to match saddle first. Will keep an eye out
  • singletonsingleton Posts: 2,349
    kleinstroker wrote:
    Have gone for boring old black, though black with some style and panache. Fabric Knurl Tape looks the biz

    https://www.evanscycles.com/fabric-knurl-bar-tape-EV223768

    Good choice, I have that on both my bikes.
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