When done correctly, Cycling can be both the hardest and dirtiest of sports. We relish in the glory of returning from a ride, battered by the four winds and soaked by the seven rains; our bodies, faces, and machines covered in the reasons why most people might stay indoors. Given that, there is something almost cavalier about submitting to the deluge in the color white, particularly when it comes to shoes, socks, jerseys, and bar tape.
Modern cycling teams, with budgets outsized only by the egos inhabiting the roster, are tending strongly towards a Three Musketeers, unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno mentality. Yet, in years gone by, when Rule #5 was a way of life more so than a badge of honor as it is for us, teams were dominated by a single leader who shouldered responsibility in all manner of races throughout the season. In those days, team bikes were generally built, as they are now, in accordance with Rule #8, with bars wrapped in blue, black, red, or green tape. One bike, however, always stood out as the exception: the team leader’s bars were always wrapped in white.
White is a glorious color to grace a set of handlebars. It emphasizes the sensual sweep of the drops and the beautiful curve from the hoods to the tops. It brings out the crisp shadows of the cables running beneath the tape to highlight a perfect wrap. It stands as a testament to the care that is undertaken in maintaining the machine, for without meticulous attention white does not stay white for long. It states that these bars are graced not by the sullied hands of a domestique, but by the clean grip of a leader.
When it comes to wrapping bars, there are many classy possibilities – black is always stylish and versatile (you can dress it up or you can dress it down), red is fast, celeste is classic – but for Bike #1, I always choose white not because it’s Pro, but because when I go out, I ride like a leader.
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View Comments
@Calmante
I position them so I can read them when I ride. Everything I do with Cycling, from how I dress to how I set up my bikes, I do for my own benefit, not others'. (Meaning, I obsess over how I look, but only to the extent that I care how I look; I don't care how other people think I look.)
If I could change the labels on the bars, I would. I've matured to the point that I only obsess over the stuff I can (somewhat) control.
@ Marko
I'm definitely planning to replace with plain white too, when the split tape is done. I thought the 'split' would end up under the hoods as well.
@ Frank
Keen eye. The levers are a touch too low for my liking, causing me to rotate the bars further back than I'd like for reach. Not a big deal for now, but when I come to replace the tape I'll be making some adjustments.
@ Gianni
Literally stunning tape! Nice work
I'm actually waiting till I get new 3T bars before I get fizik tape. The standard lizard skin stuff that came with my bike is meh.
@Gianni
Is your bike in the back of Mr. Roark's car out there on fantasy island?
@frank
When you get to the end of reading Fizik Fizik Fizik do you go back and re-read it? And do you mouth the words to yourself as you do? And have you ever crashed whilst reading instead of looking where you're going? Just a random thought.
I do it that exact same way too, in fact Mark1's look exactly like mine.
@Marko
Look Boss, de bike de bike!
@Marko
That's the Fun Mobile. Its genius. It holds bikes, surf boards, SUP paddles, everything except people. Brilliant.
@James
The Fizik stuff lasts for ever - you'll go at least a season if not more before "needing" to replace it. Just suck it up and buy some new tape if you don't like what you have.
As for the levers, learned a great trick from Rouleur's edition on rebuilding de Vlaeminck's bike a few issues back. I've always done it using a straight-edge and making sure the levers are even with the bottom, but the mechanic in that special (Also Gios, who was actually RdV's wrench at Brooklyn) was shot setting the levers on the bars and leveling the whole assembly on the workbench. It's genius. I did it for my last two builds since, and it is magic.
Wrapped the bars in white for the first time last year, and had more than a few "did you get a new bike" comments. Putting Frank's "I do for my own benefit" comment aside, it really does make a bike look good. +1 on the Fizik tape, I've seen many a white cork wrap job go yellow in a hurry. The Fizik tape looks brand new even a year on. I still will probably replace it this year. Gotta take it off to replace the cables anyway! Those don't seem to stay as white.
Maybe I'm too old school but I was surprised to see that the rules did not include any mention that bar tape MUST BE WHITE. I move that the rules be amended to include it.
Gianni - Yes! You just made my evening. Was feeling a bit bad about putting a Zero1 on my LOOK and not the Zero100, but the price difference is staggering. And the grams difference is not. I've got one in white at 110mm on order. Looks great on your Ti steed! Can't wait to get mine set up. Oh, oh and just ordered the Ritchey torque key as well. Oh, and also nearly complete on a White Out of my Casati. White bars, cable housing, tape, silver stem, silver bike. Yeehaw! I've been waiting to put all of this together for a year or two.
White bar tape is awesome, when done right, which is a slick wrapping job &, more importantly, keeping it clean. I have white bar tape on all three of my road bikes. Fizik Microtex glossy on one, about to wrap one in Deda Traforato, and my Tommasini has the original 1990 Cinelli cork tape on it. I like to keep tape & hoods either white or black. Plenty of other areas (wild Italian paint jobs?) to turn up the heat on a bike.
I still am pissed about a guy I saw last year in a group ride who was on a very nice new Pinarello with white bar tape that had slipped, thereby allowing a gap straight through to the bars, and it was dirty. What a fucking jerk. I thought about confiscating his bike.