# How to keep white handlebar tape clean?



## azcarrolls (Nov 27, 2007)

Just picked up my new ride...love the white handlebar tape, but wondering how best to keep it clean?


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## dookie (Oct 1, 2007)

replace it with white fizik tape.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

I rarely clean my white bar tape. I like the soiled look. It adds character to the bike.


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## LO^OK (Feb 1, 2008)

azcarrolls said:


> Just picked up my new ride...love the white handlebar tape, but wondering how best to keep it clean?


Why not try a quality car interior cleaner? In my experience they are very effective cleaning the various interior tapestry and soft plastics without being too aggressive.


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## hollandbk (Jun 3, 2008)

get black next time


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## Puchnuts (Oct 9, 2008)

Wear gloves.


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## Marcos_E (Dec 16, 2007)

Try simple green, maybe? I've found that stuff works great on damn near everything.


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## cpark (Oct 13, 2004)

Puchnuts said:


> Wear gloves.


I don't know about that. I don't wear gloves and the white Fizik tape on my bike looks pretty white.


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## simonton (Mar 11, 2007)

Look for Mr Clean Magic Eraser, a white cleaning sponge. Sold at Home depot, grocery stores, auto parts stores, marine stores. It is AMAZING. It will keep you handlebar tape clean.


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## scooter916 (Apr 8, 2009)

I heard from a shoe repair man that shaving cream works well, the foam pulls the dirt out, have yet to try yet but worth a shot, worst case you have to go buy new tape


I am going to go try the magic eraser now


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

The easiest way to keep white bar tape clean is to buy black bar tape.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

I used white Bike Ribbon brand tape for a while. It wiped off but in the end, I preferred the feel of Cinelli cork and just lived with the dirt.


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## jmlapoint (Sep 4, 2008)

I use White Benotto Professional Cello-Tape.
I wipe it down with Isopropyl Alcohol before a ride, and
Simple Green after a ride with a Micro Fiber Cloth.
Stays pretty white and clean.

View attachment 161542


John


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

The various "orange" or citrus oil based cleaners work well ... rinse very well, however. I suppose Simple Green would also work well ... but I usually don't have Simple Green around the house. Pledge furniture polish works fair for light dirt, but _doesn't_ clean ground-in dirt as well as the "orange" cleaners.


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## Val_Garou (Apr 30, 2002)

Dirty white tape says you love to ride. 

Super-clean white tape says you want people to think you love to ride, but actually spend time you could be riding carefully applying foams and polishes to your bartape. 

Think about what you want to say.


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## Snopro440 (Dec 21, 2006)

I put soapy water in a spray bottle and then a clean towel. It worked great for me, but my new bike is orange and black, so I now have orange tape.


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## cyclust (Sep 8, 2004)

#1 Wash your gloves often. #2 For cleaning the tape, whestley's whitewall cleaner and a toothbrush will work wonders. It will clean filthy whitewalls in seconds, so bar tape is no problem. Just make sure you rinse very well, along with any parts of the bike it gets on, the stuff is very strong.


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## backinthesaddle (Nov 22, 2006)

Putting chemicals on your bar tape is genius... 
Nevermind the fact that you'll get said chemicals on your hands and then rub your nose, or eyes...

Live with the dirt and replace when necessary...


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## Keeping up with Junior (Feb 27, 2003)

*Wash*



azcarrolls said:


> Just picked up my new ride...love the white handlebar tape, but wondering how best to keep it clean?


Wash your hands after you poop.

Seriously, the way bar tape gets dirty is from your hands, typically after touching something dirty/greasy on your bike. Put a couple of latex gloves in your saddle bag for midride maintenance. A little WashUp packet from the chicken place for after you change a tire. When at home never work on your bike without latex gloves because no matter how much you remind yourself you will put a greasy hand on the bars.


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## DS1239622 (Mar 21, 2007)

Cover the tape in saran wrap before you ride and remove it after.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

Keep bike hanging from rafters in the garage.

Tape should stay white indefinitely that way.


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## kmc (Oct 16, 2002)

*my trick*

little formula 409 and a scrub brush...wipe with a damp cloth. works well enough.


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## cmg (Oct 27, 2004)

learn to appreciated the dirty look.


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

I think there may be a video on this on the CycleTo website.

They suggest something like Pledge for light/quick cleaning and Blue Dawn dishwash detergent for serious cleaning.

I'm a big fan of white bar tape.


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

DuPont "Prep Sol" is a wax and silicone remover used to prepare surfaces for painting. It will not hurt paint or plastic. It is awesome. I learned about it as a teen detailing cars for dealerships. It was the only thing that would get grease off a seatbelt. We even used it on seat fabric and carpet. You can get it at automotive paint supply houses. It is also a great degreaser for bearings, but a little pricey. My gallon has lasted for years.

I used to use it to wipe down the white tape on my previous bike.


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## Puchnuts (Oct 9, 2008)

I use Brooks leather-tape. It doesn't come in white - yet. White-tape is just plain problematic. I stock it - but I don't recommend it. I suppose the Benotto is easy enough to clean, but it looks like you wrapped your bars with electrical-tape.


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## nicks2192 (Jan 25, 2008)

+1 for fizik tape, It's impossible to get it dirty.


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## nor_cal_rider (Dec 18, 2006)

I had white tape on my Madone - lasted about 16 months of me washing it with simple green or soap& water every week before I gave up and re-taped my bars with black. Yea - it's boring, but I'm lazy and regardless of gloves, my tape always looked grungy.


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## identifiler (Dec 24, 2005)

> Seriously, the way bar tape gets dirty is from your hands, typically after touching something dirty/greasy on your bike


Do you train on an indoor track or on sterile road. I don't know about you put the tan lines I get during long arid rides has nothing to do with the sun... People who ride know get dirty, even the gynecologists and dentists.


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

Wash your tape when it gets dirty. If you get sick of the soiled look, buy some new white tape. Or buy any color of tape. Don't buy black tape, it's boring and tape isn't that expensive that you need to make it last forever. You can find it close out and discounted for $5-10 per roll, often even the name brands like Cinelli or Deda, but the house brands are very satisfactory (to me). Tape is a "wear" item and/or something you shoudl just change on a whim.


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## jmlapoint (Sep 4, 2008)

Camilo said:


> Wash your tape when it gets dirty. If you get sick of the soiled look, buy some new white tape. Or buy any color of tape. Don't buy black tape, it's boring and tape isn't that expensive that you need to make it last forever. You can find it close out and discounted for $5-10 per roll, often even the name brands like Cinelli or Deda, but the house brands are very satisfactory (to me). Tape is a "wear" item and/or something you shoudl just change on a whim.


Camilo;
I totally agree that tape is a wear item. I think the Pros get new white tape job before a big race; looks great and feels good.
I also hate black tape and agree it is boring.
I try to take care of my Tape Job, but when it gets dingy, I just replace it. I use non- adhesive backed tape and this makes for an easier/quicker replacement. Besides, I think taping a bar is kinda fun and makes the front of your bike look new again.
John


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## wunlap togo (Oct 1, 2004)

After I've washed and rinsed the whole bike, I fold up the rubber hoods on the levers and scrub the tape with undiluted Simple Green and either a small stiff bristled brush (like a nail brush) or a green 3M pad. I wash the simple green off with soapy water and then rinse that off.

White cork tape can be made to look new for a very long time this way and it only takes a minute to do.


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## sanrensho (Jan 2, 2003)

Dab of Gojo on shop towels. Won't keep the tape pristine but will get rid of the major grease/stains. (I have white bar tape on my 'cross bike.)


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## jpdigital (Dec 1, 2006)

One more for the Fizik. Make sure it's the Microtex. Compared to other white tapes, you really don't _have to_clean it, but if you do, personally, I use Resolve, but only sparingly, then I go over w/ a wet/damp rag----as was stated earlier, last thing I want to do is wipe my face or eyes and get any kind of chemical in my eye.
Again, the Fizik tape is amazing....


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## akrafty1 (Apr 10, 2006)

Heck, the guys I ride with keep my heart rate so high that I cant even see that I have bar tape... I just wipe the seat of and replace it every few months. The guys that I know that can hammer don't think about how pristine your tape is as they are ripping your legs off...lol!


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## Tanin (Feb 4, 2008)

+









I love the look of white tape and when my residue starts to bother me 99% can be removed with these two items. It even cleans the white ESI grips on my SS mountain bike.


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## sgt_hedgehog (Jun 28, 2004)

BLUE DAWN. END OF DISCUSSION. 

let the haters hate on white tape, never bow to black.


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## foofighter (Dec 19, 2008)

i used Zep orange degreaser (diluted) with a toothbrush and went to town with both my bike and my wife's bike today (both white cork) and was very pleased with the outcome. I only have 

Wished i had taken a Before photo they were FILTHY


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## andulong (Nov 23, 2006)

I cannot believe there is so much concern about keeping tape clean. No matter the color of the tape, it is dirty...just shows up better on white. Don't like the look, change it to black...I changed mine to black and never went back. Not boring at all..worrying about dirty tape...now that is boring!


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## Mel Erickson (Feb 3, 2004)

azcarrolls said:


> Just picked up my new ride...love the white handlebar tape, but wondering how best to keep it clean?


Geez, it ain't rocket science. Look under the kitchen sink for any multi-purpose cleaner. Depending on the type of cleaner either mix with water or spray on and scrub with a brush. Rinse and you're done.


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## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

I have Fizik soft white tape. I had it on one bike for about 4 months. I pulled it off and ran it through the washing machine. In the meantime I tried some Deda white tape. I spent as much time cleaning the Deda white tape after a ride as I did cleaning my bike. I installed some Deda carbon black tape on my new rig and moved the Fizik white to my old bike. I wipe down the Fizik white with Simple Green after each ride. It's the only white tape I will use.


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## Oldteen (Sep 7, 2005)

Spray Simple Green on wet rag & wipe. Wipe down with fresh wet rag. Quick & works great on my Specialized white bar tape.


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## mylanternrouge (Aug 5, 2009)

those guys in Le Tour replace it every three days -- that'll do the trick. 

white tape is usually reserved for the team leader, a.k.a someone who rides quick enough so that a passerby shouldn't notice a few dirty spots 


mylanternrouge.blogspot.com


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## snosaw (May 30, 2006)

Use black tape...????


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## Eddywanabe (Feb 23, 2005)

DS1239622 said:


> Cover the tape in saran wrap before you ride and remove it after.


LOL!! Best tip I've read on this forum.:thumbsup:


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## jhamlin38 (Oct 29, 2005)

I switched to the white roubaix specialized wrap and kinda like the grungy, worn look. Its the only thing on the bike that represents the constant, dull pain constantly in my legs!


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## rodist (Sep 2, 2005)

I'm not kidding here. A damp SHAMWO with a little dawn detergent. Rinse the shamwo, and go over the tape one more time. I use Deda Tape and it last about 6 months 3,500 miles.


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## Gevorg (Sep 18, 2006)

Use 91% isopropyl alcohol and terry towel. Soak towel in alcohol, and then rub the bar tape in sanding like motion. I have original white bar tape on my tarmac which looks white and clean after 13,000 miles


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## Nimitz (Jul 8, 2004)

Val_Garou said:


> Dirty white tape says you love to ride.
> 
> Super-clean white tape says you want people to think you love to ride, but actually spend time you could be riding carefully applying foams and polishes to your bartape.
> 
> Think about what you want to say.


 or it says you take the 5 damn seconds to wipe down your bars post ride, you act like it's a process to clean your bar tape. 

and what I want to say is "who cares"

Chad


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## bwhite_4 (Aug 29, 2006)

Clean white tape is PRO. Everyone knows that. Tattered tape means you want people to think you ride.

Ever read Dog in a Hat? Joe Parkin makes a comment about one of his "hero cards" with him on a bike with dirty white tape. "This wasn't my bike and I was unhappy about this photo. I'd never show up with dirty bar tape in public" ... that was paraphrasing.


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## alexb618 (Aug 24, 2006)

fizik white tape, problem solved

great quote from dog in a hat, an excellent read also though a bit short


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## Nashua (Aug 1, 2007)

I hear oxyclean works great for cleaning white bar tape. Diluted in a bucket with a soft bristle brush. I use white bar tape but don't like to clean my bike so it just turns gray. I wish i had the motivation to have a spotless perfectly clean machine, but I am way too lazy for that. I would rather read 40 posts on how to clean it than actually do it.


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## Stu_the_weak (Jan 25, 2010)

I use the white Cinelli cork, but I place _white_ duct tape over the cork 4 inches behind the hoods where I spend most of my time. The dirt/sweat just falls/rolls off.

If you really want clean drops...just cover your dirty wrap with white duct tape...last forever...wipe with wet cloth 

Anyone seen the white tape you use in sealing "silage bails" for dairy cow feed? That stuff is made of thick vinyl, bullet proof and white...that would be the perfect wrap! It's called *"PATCH TAPE"* and can see the details here, but no picture... http://www.atfilmsinc.com/silage/other/


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

azcarrolls said:


> Just picked up my new ride...love the white handlebar tape, but wondering how best to keep it clean?


Soap and water, it's not anything special. I clean my bar tape (never use white though) with spray cleaner (409 or similar - something that has a little grease cutting ability since it's my greasy hands that almost always do the most dirtying). I then take a rag with plain water to go over it afterwards to get all/most of the soap residue off. 

Don't over think this cleaning stuff. Very little on a bike is delicate.


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## slamy (Mar 15, 2004)

Last week I used Goo Gone and it worked great. Put some of that stuff on a rag and wax on wax off.


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

Build a vacuum showcase for the bike, stick it in there and never ride it. It works great. I swear.

The white tape on my bike lasted two weeks before I switched to black. F'zi:k Microtex is awesome!


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