# Is there a reason why more pros use white bar tape?



## Lartymarf (Aug 10, 2005)

Always noticed during the races... there are more pros using white bar tape
than any other color. Is there a legacy to this? 

Tks.


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## los318 (Aug 4, 2005)

Lartymarf said:


> Always noticed during the races... there are more pros using white bar tape
> than any other color. Is there a legacy to this?
> 
> Tks.


I use white bar tape. No other reason for me but for looks. I have a black Leader 736r and it looks pretty good.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*'Cause it looks pretty.*

And would look pretty on lots of non-pros' bikes as well. The real question is why more of those others don't use it, and the answer is that unlike the pros most us don't have a) somebody to wash it every day (or time to do it ourselves) so it doesn't look grungy; or b) the funds to replace it every time it gets irretrievably dirty after a few long rides. I've used it, and it looks nice -- when it's new.


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## Viva Mexico! (Nov 22, 2005)

Pros ride on white bar tape because it is a well known fact that colorless tape weights less.
Besides there is significant difference in temperature between a white tape and a color tape.
Itis quite simple in fact, just look at Le Tour White riders are faster than color bikers.


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## Cory (Jan 29, 2004)

*Don't know, but it looks like K-Mart to me.*

I worked one Christmas in college assembling bikes at K-Mart (10 minutes per bike; there are probably people in wheelchairs all over California because of me), and nearly all of them came out of the box with white grips or bar tape, depending on whether they were roadish or mountainlike. To this day I can't see a bike with white tape without thinking of those [email protected] little junkers.


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## Dave_Stohler (Jan 22, 2004)

Viva Mexico! said:


> Pros ride on white bar tape because it is a well known fact that colorless tape weights less.
> Besides there is significant difference in temperature between a white tape and a color tape.
> Itis quite simple in fact, just look at Le Tour White riders are faster than color bikers.


Hey, no tape at all is even lighter!


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## gthcarolina (Feb 14, 2005)

*Um, white IS a color*



Viva Mexico! said:


> Pros ride on white bar tape because it is a well known fact that colorless tape weights less.
> Besides there is significant difference in temperature between a white tape and a color tape.
> Itis quite simple in fact, just look at Le Tour White riders are faster than color bikers.


That is either the funniest post I have seen in weeks or it's incredibly not so.


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## 9-speed (Feb 16, 2004)

The pros have mechanics that will change it for them as often as necessary.


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## ElvisMerckx (Oct 11, 2002)

*Trend*

They use white now because: 1) it's trendy, and 2) almost every bike is black carbon. 

A few years ago the trend was blue tape, but that was when they used to actually paint bikes.

I predict that in a few years, with the advent of colored carbon, a different color will dominate the peloton.


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## Blue Sugar (Jun 14, 2005)

White reflects light of all colors.Touch a white car on a hot day, then a black one. The black one will be hotter. On bar tape, the difference is minimal. The real difference is that with white tape the area around the tape will be warmer (due to all the reflected heat), and warmer air is thinner and has less wind resistance, allowing you to go faster. Also, your arms wil appear tanner against the backdrop of the white bars, making you feel like a serious, tanned roadie who spends a lot of time riding. This will make you feel, and go, faster. White tape IS faster than other colors.

You're welcome.


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## fleck (Mar 25, 2005)

if you ever use your gloves to wipe glass or sand off your tires don't buy white bar tape.

or if you plan on changing a tire...

or god forbid its hot out and your powerbar gu stuff ooozes out of the package all over your darn hands.


as for bar tape getting hot. Just ain't gona happen like that. cork has a very low thermal compasity and transmitiance. Things like metal, water, oil are very high. The color isn't going to effect it much at all. synthetic or leather wrap might get more toasty.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Compasity?*



dfleck said:


> cork has a very low thermal compasity


Boy, that's one I never learned in engineering school! This must be from the "alternative" science curriculum.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Lartymarf said:


> Always noticed during the races... there are more pros using white bar tape
> than any other color. Is there a legacy to this?
> 
> Tks.


The real reason white tape use to be the color of choice for the pros..

When a pro went looking for his bike the morning after a race or ride, clean white tape told him the bike was tuned and ready to go. The last thing a mechanic did when working on a bike was change the bar tape. 

As for today's trend , it more fashion than anything else.


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## Viva Mexico! (Nov 22, 2005)

Dave Hickey said:


> The real reason white tape use to be the color of choice for the pros..
> 
> When a pro went looking for his bike the morning after a race or ride, clean white tape told him the bike was tuned and ready to go. The last thing a mechanic did when working on a bike was change the bar tape.
> 
> As for today's trend , it more fashion than anything else.


No it`s not...
it`s because it`s lighter, faster, more productive comfortable, not drinking too much, regular excersise at the gym...


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## fleck (Mar 25, 2005)

Kerry Irons said:


> Boy, that's one I never learned in engineering school! This must be from the "alternative" science curriculum.


ok smartass
yea might not be the right term
its been 10 years since i've taken corses that covered it but if its that important i could look it up in my old text.


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## ElvisMerckx (Oct 11, 2002)

dfleck said:


> ok smartass
> yea might not be the right term
> its been 10 years since i've taken corses that covered it but if its that important i could look it up in my old text.


In my line of work, we call it thermal mass.


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## gthcarolina (Feb 14, 2005)

*Foot size is correlated to IQ, too.*



Viva Mexico! said:


> No it`s not...
> it`s because it`s lighter, faster, more productive comfortable, not drinking too much, regular excersise at the gym...


In my line of work we call that a non sequitor.

I use black bar tape because I like dark beer and because my wife reads Dostoyevsky. . 

Mr. Hickey, thank you for the insightful post .


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## Hardy Cyclamens (Mar 21, 2005)

I'm gonna guess it's because the teams buy tape probably by the case or larger quantities and matching colors to bikes would be a lot of pointless work. White would be "generic" and when it gets slightly dirty it gets changed. Hard to see dirt on tape when the tape is some designer color.


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## lactic acidosis (Jul 24, 2006)

a friend of mine once painted his 98 honda civic from jet black to white. he gained 100hp at the wheels as a result. white is just faster.

...plus, Chuck Norris uses white tape on all his weapons.


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## 8200rpm (Jun 6, 2006)

It's just straight up RACISM.


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## i heart riding (Feb 5, 2006)

8200rpm said:


> It's just straight up RACISM.



ya dood.............why does it gotta be "white" bar tape????


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## Elfstone (Jun 27, 2006)

8200rpm said:


> It's just straight up RACISM.


Dang! I knew some one would throw in the race card! Just couldn't leave well enough alone...

Peace :crazy:


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## nachomc (Aug 31, 2006)

lactic acidosis said:


> ...plus, Chuck Norris uses white tape on all his weapons.


noob. Chuck Norris doesn't need tape on his weapons. The grips are made comfortable with his own saliva.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

Lartymarf said:


> Always noticed during the races... there are more pros using white bar tape
> than any other color. Is there a legacy to this?
> 
> Tks.


 White tape signifies a blind rider, just like a white cane. It scares the snot out of the other riders to think the guy they're riding next to is blind, so they give him a bit more room- or so I've heard


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## uhkuhjillion (Aug 9, 2004)

Its and underground code, white tape means that you are a doper.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

uhkuhjillion said:


> Its and underground code, white tape means that you are a doper.


... as does black tape, red tape, blue tape, yellow tape, camo tape, zebra tape, etc.

.


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## KenB (Jul 28, 2004)

California L33 said:


> ... as does black tape, red tape, blue tape, yellow tape, camo tape, zebra tape, etc.
> 
> .


That's so they can determine doses at a glance.


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## asciibaron (Aug 11, 2006)

white=clean
clean=proper
proper=happy sponsor


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## ckelly49 (Jul 9, 2006)

it's faster. especially when used in conjunction with matching socks and jersey.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

Speaking of bar tape, does anyone know where I can get some of that old school black vinyl bar tape? As per my avatar, I've still got (but rarely ride) an old Schwinn "Super Lite" bike, complete with chrome forks (weighing in at around 32 pounds- hey they said it was "lite" not "light"). I'm also looking for those ugly round white wheel reflectors.


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## bahueh (May 11, 2004)

*no, actually..*



gthcarolina said:


> That is either the funniest post I have seen in weeks or it's incredibly not so.



white is actually considered a "HUE"...


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