Categories: Accessories and GearKitNostalgiaThe Hardmen

Ride Like a Leader: White Bar Tape

The Prophet rode white tape, how about you?

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.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

Marko says:

Feb 14 2012 at 7:22 am

@Chris
I was going to suggest the little rubber donuts too.

@Ron
I think classic fizik microtex is perfectly acceptable, sublime even. Not the labeled stuff, the plain. I've got the plain black on my serotta and while not nearly as classic ad your Tommasini, it has some classic flare and the tape looks awesome. That's one thing about the folks at fizik, they've done well fusing classic slyle with modern tech. Think about their shoes. Perfection.
Chris says:

Feb 14 2012 at 7:29 am

@Mikel Pearce
Black with the Zipps. Other bike is to fussy. Nice tho.
Marko says:

Feb 14 2012 at 7:32 am

My white is going on season two. Hard to tell. Although I did a Specialized BG fit and had to make adjustments which required me to remove the fizik finishing tape sadly. With the KT coming up I going to go with some fizik gel and new tape for the cobbles. I'm stoked to try it.

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SimonH says:

Feb 14 2012 at 7:36 am

Having been a long time lurker I put forward my No.1 for inclusion to the black/white bar tape debate.

Having chosen white for seat post, stem and bar I think white tape would be too much white. Coupled with my grasshopper starting pistols I think black is an easier, less conspicuous colour to roll with for now.

What say the Velominati ?
Marko says:

Feb 14 2012 at 7:38 am

@SimonH
I just felt it move a little.
Chris says:

Feb 14 2012 at 7:53 am

@SimonH
There's little about that bike that says inconspicuous. Nice.
Mikel Pearce says:

Feb 14 2012 at 7:57 am

@SimonH
Wow. Nice.

Would love to see that with white tape and black hoods!
razmaspaz says:

Feb 14 2012 at 7:58 am

Now I'm curious as both Frank and Marko left just the tiniest bit of white inside the electrical tape. Is this standard practice? It certainly isn't by accident.
Chris says:

Feb 14 2012 at 8:13 am

@razmaspaz
IIRC, not bar tape but a different colour electrical tape, sort of super fine detailing, pin-stripping.
frank says:

Feb 14 2012 at 8:28 am

@Chris, @Ron

@Ron

Two questions for the group: I'm getting ready to recable my 1990 Tommasini. It's steel, it's mostly red. It has external cables that pink pink & jangle on the downtube when riding. It's kind of annoying. Do you think Gore sealed cables might stop this? Or, should I stick to Campa cables with the Record gruppo?

Assuming the Gore stuff has the same continuous liner, it should make less noise than bare cable on the down tube. What about some of those little rubber things that slide onto the cable for that purpose?

I'd stick with Campa cables as I've not heard great things about the Gore stuff, and go with @Chris's's's's suggestion to use the little ping-stoppers.

@Joe

Alternatively, I'll just employ the creak as a psychological weapon to unhinge the more mechanically sensitive amongst us.

The Principle of Silence states that you should summarily allow yourself be dropped in such circumstances. I'll enforce that.

@chiasticon

+1 on white bar tape. have it on all my bikes, but one (and that's just because there's no white anywhere in the bike's color scheme). the foam-based tape definitely attracts dirt a hell of a lot faster than the cork-based and is more difficult to clean up. which brings me to cleanup: any suggested methods? i use a rag and a citrus-based cleaner and just grip the bar with the rag tightly, then wrap in the direction of the wrap job. works pretty well to get rid of the damn black glove residue.

I use dish detergent like Dawn and a plastic-bristle brush. Just brush it and it cleans up like a dream.

great wrap job examples here. any thoughts on finishing tape methods? i have done both the method frank employs (leaving a tiny bit of the bar tape sticking out) as well as wrapping the tape all the way onto the bars. my preferred look is do as frank has done, but also have it wrap around the edge of the bar tape (but not physically touch the bar). i've not perfected how to do this though.

I don't actually let the bar tape stick out. I first wrap the tape with colored electrical tape such that a narrow strip touches the bars and the rest touches the tape. Then I use the finishing tape that comes with the tape to make a perfect loop that runs flush with the edge of the tape.

I just happen to be on a kick of using white electrical tape at the moment, but I've also done it with contrasting colors like red. Looks the business.

You can see what I mean in this picture: