Ride Like a Leader: White Bar Tape
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.
@razmaspaz
Cereal. The fizik bar wrap will last longer than the cables. You end up replacing it because of some other reason. Horrible business model, when you look at it from that perspective.
@sthilzy
Word. Replaced my fork and had to stop four times to fix my stem. I just iteratively eyeball it less badly until its right. There must be a better way.
@monkeyman
@scaler911 has it right. Besides, black does Look Fantastic (both for bar wrap and socks/shoes) – just not as good as white.
Plus, I like having a few Rules around where the letter of the Rule is different from the connoisseur’s view of the Rule, as is the case with white socks. We’ll just keep it as a secret between us three.
@Nate
+1
@James
Nice bike. Is that beetroot I see growing? My favourite vegetable ever.
@frank
Nice one as always frank. I have white tape on 2 out of the 3 bikes. Mainly because it suits the colour scheme of both plus have matched the saddle so it looks way cool. I like that last line because when I go out, I ride like a leader. I do think the same way, unfortunately I probably end up looking more like the domestique, but at least I believe that.
@Nate
Busted…I’m about to ween myself off the much used frame pump and go leyzne, lezyne, leznye, however it’s f’ing spelled. Yeah, I’m off the reservation out here, no one but @mauiguy to get on my case, until I put a photo up.
@sthilzy
As much as I try to line everything up in the shop, I have to go for a ride with an allen wrench. Once I’m riding, the proper alignment or lack of, is obvious. It’s weird.
@brett
Herk! Nothing out of you for months then you’re mister swinging dick for an afternoon. The afternoon you’re supposed to be at work. @sthilzy
Yep, turn up for the a grade hammer ride. You’ll realise they’re crooked about half a second after you arrive, and about a second before every other prick there tells you your stems crooked. After that you’ll know when it’s straight.
@sthilzy
Try not to line up the stem with the tyre. Use a line of sight across the tops of the bar on either side of the stem, looking down over the fork tips.
I approach wrapping with minor dread. Bike A needs doing pre-keepers tour. Probably will go white, maybe.
Though it depends which bike gets an outing. Arse says, take the carbone, wallet says no….
@Marko – you and Gianni are welcome to join me in the bus!
I’m slightly worried that we’re going to be subjected to some form of UCI scrutineering on Day 1 of the Keeper’s Tour with @frank checking not only rule compliance but that the bikes meet with his OCD driven set of aesthetics.
@sthilzy
@frank I’m surprised you haven’t devised some sort of jig to deal with this. Combining one of your extra long low intensity training rides with OCD mutterings of “it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight, it’s not straight…” might not be healthy.
As many of you know, I know everything.
I had never heard about white bar tape on leaders’ bikes! Very interesting.
A note on setting up the levers. The outboard Shimano levers are not mirror images of each other. It drove me crazy until I figured that out. The cables leave the levers at different angles.
@Chris
Take out “slightly worried that” and replace with “scared for the time when” and your post will be accurate. Then do us all a favor and come dialed so we can get to the business of riding and drinking.
@Marko
Oh don’t worry, mate the bike will be dialled – it largely is. The adjustable angle stem will be slammed, the tritard seat-mounted bottle holders and comfort saddle will be gone, although, I will be keeping the bar end tassels, whippy aerial with flag and that little plastic dayglo thing that folds out to keep the traffic at a safe distance.
Marko – Nah, I’ll let him ride on with his gapped, dirty tape. There are people who get it & those who don’t, you know? A nice bike doesn’t mean you’ve got the proper style or form.
James – How are those Scirocco wheels? I’ve read good & bad reviews of them. Seem a bit below the level of that awesome bike (but hey, it’s your nice bike!). My LOOK is the same way – tried to keep the overall build below a certain total price so have some low-level Neuvations on mine. But, they’ve done well for two full years, are pretty darn light, and very, very cost conscious.
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?
Secondly, the tape on there is the original Cinelli cork in white. What tape would perform & look the best on an older steel bike? I like the Fizik Microtex, but is that proper on an older bicycle? Should I just stick to plain ol’ cork tape? There are so many tape options out there now.
@Marko. Riding and drinking, drinking and riding, it’s all good.
Going to have to take a blowtorch to my right crank to try and unsieze the bloody pedal too. Alternatively, I’ll just employ the creak as a psychological weapon to unhinge the more mechanically sensitive amongst us.
@Ron
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?
@ il ciclista medio
not beetroot (good idea to grow, though), chard.
@Ron
Thanks. The Scirocco wheels are somewhat below the level of the rest of the bike, but not the rider… Seriously, though, so far I like them well enough. My bike #2 has Mavic Kysriums on it and I can’t tell the difference, except for the fact that the hub in the Campa is much quieter.
I had to chuckle as soon as I read the title of this post, because I knew, somewhere in the comments, @frank’s perfectly wrapped Rotundo bars would make an appearance!
Not that I’m poking fun–I saw Frank’s bars in my dreams the night before I re-wrapped mine after my most recen build.
+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.
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.
Same bike – one photo with black bar tape, one with white – you be the judge …
Cool, once again learn a new nuance about the craft and history. Never knew that about the team leader only riding white bar tape.
Guess that makes me double sure to stick with my black tape, at least for the time being!
@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.
@Mikel Pearce
Black with the Zipps. Other bike is to fussy. Nice tho.
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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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 ?
@SimonH
I just felt it move a little.
@SimonH
There’s little about that bike that says inconspicuous. Nice.
@SimonH
Wow. Nice.
Would love to see that with white tape and black hoods!
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.
@razmaspaz
IIRC, not bar tape but a different colour electrical tape, sort of super fine detailing, pin-stripping.
@Chris, @Ron
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
The Principle of Silence states that you should summarily allow yourself be dropped in such circumstances. I’ll enforce that.
@chiasticon
I use dish detergent like Dawn and a plastic-bristle brush. Just brush it and it cleans up like a dream.
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:
@Gianni: beautiful wrap, absolutely beautiful. Is it sterile wrap, its SOOO clean?
@Frank: thanks for noting some exceptions to the rule here, in that, celeste does don the Bianchi, my work bike, daily commuter. I just couldn’t bear doing white/black with celest paint, especially since even the cable housings are celeste. It must match.
@Ron: I wouldn’t think the Gore would do much about that, it tends to be cable tension vs the cable guide type you have on the down tube. Secondly, yes, Fizik is always right…always. But, even better is Brooks for a classic steel ride like you have, but it must be mated right also. good luck, i love steel.
@SimonH: nice ride! I would go white Fizik microtex, all the way, its not too much, given you’ve mated the stem/post (which is the unwritten rule..they must match).
@Mike Pearce: black brother, that fucker is a workhorse and a great looking rig, so don it black IMHO. Sweet ride brother!!!
@frank: fantastic suggestion on the levers. its always a tenous deal leveling, looking, measureing in trigonometric fashion…lever tips, lever tops, side to side, center to center….that is simple and a great one.
will be doing it soon!
@SimonH
Wow, that is a stunner. I’d still go white on the bars, but as I said to @Gianni, the white stem/bars is a look I’ve been pondering, and you’re not helping me think its not a good idea! The white seatpost is an interesting touch, and I’ve been seeing that saddle around a lot lately. How do you like it?
@razmaspaz
What @Chris said.
The more sensitive among you may choose to look away now, as I present the Fizik horror which is on my beautiful Ridley.
I don’t have a comparison to hand but I think this brown tape is much thicker than the normal Microtex stuff, which does however lead me to ask why they sell it as the same thing.
I chose the colour because they called it Honey and I have a Honey Brooks saddle, so I am in compliance with the rules… except there’s no way that’s Honey. It’s Brown.
Look at how the edge stands up. It’s so thick I had to get a hammer to wedge the bar ends in.
And on the bends it just would not pull smooth so I have horrible creases.
I wouldn’t say I was likely to win any prizes but I’ve never had a disaster like this with other bar tape.
I think I’ll go back to Cinellie and put the Bubble tape on – not classic but it is truly excellent in sweaty conditions, of which we have plenty. That’s another area I suspect this Fizik tape is not going to perform well in. It already feels slippy.
Unfotunately my choices in AD are very limited so I will have to wait until I’m back in the UK next, after the Keepers’ Tour.
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@frank
No. I decided. You have to start learning how to read upside down.
@SimonH
It might be because the rear wheel is lifted, but your saddle looks like it’s in violation.
@SimonH
I’m gonna suggest white bar tape to give you an all-white cockpit. It’ll balance that totem pole-length seatpost.
@Mikel Pearce
Mikel, I’ll go with the black tape here. One of the great features of a BMC is their interesting and slightly quirky frame design. The white tape distracts from this whereas the black pulls the eye towards the visually exciting and interesting frame where it belongs.
ps If your position is dialled-in, you might want to sort out that steerer tube “issue.” You know what I’m talking about!
@Ron
Those Gore cables were just recalled for Campa because the terminals can pop off. I was going to put these on my Bianchi this spring, but I’m holding off now until the recall is resolved.
@Mikel Pearce
This!
That would be perfect in my opinion. Especially with rest of the set up.
@ChrisO
Eurgh, that’s not nice! You’re not going to ride that on the Keeper’s Tour, are you? It won’t make it through @frank‘s scrutineering.
@SimonH
I’m a big fan of those Enigma frames and the company as a whole. I’ve got one on the shortlist for later in the year if I can scrape the money together. Looks great with campag too, shimano cranksets look wrong on ti bikes.
Is that an Echo, if so how is it?
@Joe
Ride next to Frank, PLEASE. He will love it.
@SimonH
I’d concur with everyone else and switch it up to white tape.
Otherwise, with the exception of the Rule #45 issue, terrific ride.
@Chris
No, but I wasn’t going to bring the Ridley anyway, not for the cobbles. The plan had been for my wife and kids to come over from London and bring my steel custom build.
Unfortunately that’s been scuppered by CCF camp for our eldest so I’ll be using one of the Cyfac bikes.
If I was bringing it then I would have had some tape couriered to me – I’m still considering it anyway, just because I hate looking at and feeling that every day when I ride.
@Marko
Marko, is your bike wearing a bib ? Pray tell which Rule that falls under…
@ChrisO
Its not any thicker than the normal Microtex; its just that you didn’t pull hard enough. You should end up with a half meter of tape left over at the end of the wrapping job, but on your bars, you wound up even using part of the tape that doesn’t have the holes cut in it anymore – the stuff at the very end. If you pull it tight enough (which is not as easy as with cork and other synthetic tapes) you will get the stretch you need and you’ll end up with a beautiful flat wrap. The good news is that you should have more than enough tape left over to redo it, or wait until KT and I’ll do it for you and we’ll make fun of you after over beers.
@SimonH
Damn it man, can we trade? White tape and the world is yours. It’s that easy. That’s the look I was heading for except your bike seems muck cooler and your wheels rule. Chapeau squire.
@ChrisO
+1.
@SimonH
That is a great looking ride- congrats!