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what color bar tape?

3K views 35 replies 25 participants last post by  old_fuji 
#1 ·
i kinda like the pseud-camoflague pattern that bontrager and i think specialized has...but, i also like the split black/blue i've seen somewhere...BUT, i do kinda dig the clean, sophistimicated look of white tape...BUUUTTTTT, my bike has existing black tape on it, and it looks pretty slick. i've read the threads about what color is fastest, but nobody mentioned green as going fast...so i'm a little confused.

which color, in your opinion, goes best with a blue bike?
 
#10 ·
regarding a brooks saddle...this bike is intended to be my beater bike. i don't know that a saddle that fancy would be appropriate on a clunker/commuter/beater bike. plus, i already dropped a few bucks on the selle saddle pictured, fresh outta the take-off bin at the bikeshop
 
#13 ·
Mr Bentwrench said:
There is always splash tape in blue/white or blue/black and blue/black/white. Everybody hates it here but it was a popular replacement in this bike's era. Splash for color and period correct?

like that, only blue and white?

that's what i meant with "pseudo-camoflague" in the first post
 
#14 ·
old_fuji said:
regarding a brooks saddle...this bike is intended to be my beater bike. i don't know that a saddle that fancy would be appropriate on a clunker/commuter/beater bike. plus, i already dropped a few bucks on the selle saddle pictured, fresh outta the take-off bin at the bikeshop
After 5 some posts about putting lipstick on a pig (no offense - nice commuter) it's good to hear from an OP with sense.
 
#16 ·
old_fuji said:
That's what i meant with "pseudo-camoflague" in the first post
It's still around. Profile brand is a good tape for a beater. It's online but you can order it just as cheap from your LBS. If you flip through their master cataloge, you'll find a few other brands too with slightly different patterns and a bit truer colors than you can see online. Throws then a bit of business too. Personally, I kinda like the splash for the 'old fuji'.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Check out the nice options from Soma. I got the natural for my fixie and really like it, a year old and looks new. It would look good with your tan sidewall tires. They do have a blue/white or blue/yellow confetti, also an aqua that might look sharp. Personally, I like white. I have Fizik, and it sucks to keep clean, but my Deda was easy to clean.

http://www.somafab.com/bartape.html
 
#22 ·
First off

Spend a few more dollars and get either downtube shifters or bar ends, try bikepartsusa or someone like that. As a commuter type bike I vote for bar end, most likely friction mode, they are the next best thing to STI in the index mode, but due to your freewheel the spacing might not work hence friction mode.

I vote for white or monochrome blue, You don't want to draw attention to the bars, you shoot for making them appear as part of the scheme. I have white bar tape on my Ti bike. It is the same tape that has been on the bike for 2 years. Dirty? Absolutely not, almost as white as the day I put it on. It is the vinyl plastic like tape, no pores for the dirt to soak into. Easy cleanup if it does get dirty.
 
#23 ·
For beater bike with take-off-bin saddle, the appropriate tape is whatever's on the sale table at the LBS -- and you don't change it until it wears out or gets torn up.

Nothing absolutely wrong with putting lipstick on a pig, but you don't go buy a new tube of the good brand, and you don't worry too much about the shade.

All these good folks advising you to spend more $ on parts for this bike are missing the point of a beater bike, IMHO.
 
#24 ·
ARP said:
Spend a few more dollars and get either downtube shifters or bar ends, try bikepartsusa or someone like that. As a commuter type bike I vote for bar end, most likely friction mode, they are the next best thing to STI in the index mode, but due to your freewheel the spacing might not work hence friction mode.

I vote for white or monochrome blue, You don't want to draw attention to the bars, you shoot for making them appear as part of the scheme. I have white bar tape on my Ti bike. It is the same tape that has been on the bike for 2 years. Dirty? Absolutely not, almost as white as the day I put it on. It is the vinyl plastic like tape, no pores for the dirt to soak into. Easy cleanup if it does get dirty.
i was thinking of dropping the shifters altogether and making a singlespeed
 
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