# Should bar tape and saddle colour match?



## hobbitonabike (2 Jul 2013)

My brother in law is driven crazy by the fact my bar tape and saddle are different colours...he insists they should match!! Just to tip him over the edge I changed the boy childs too hahahaha. So what do you reckon? Has a point or OCD?


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## uberguru (2 Jul 2013)

#rule 8
http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/


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## green1 (2 Jul 2013)

Bar tape should never ever be white.


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## hobbitonabike (2 Jul 2013)

green1 said:


> Bar tape should never ever be white.



Ours was....hence the change!!


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## VamP (2 Jul 2013)

green1 said:


> Bar tape should never ever be white.


 
What utter nonsense


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## StuartG (2 Jul 2013)

I've never seen white bar tape. I've seen bar tape that used to white ...


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## green1 (2 Jul 2013)

EbonyWillow said:


> Ours was....hence the change!!


Then you were entirely correct ( and I don't care about the sodding rules).


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## green1 (2 Jul 2013)

StuartG said:


> I've never seen white bar tape. I've seen bar tape that used to white ...


Hence why...


green1 said:


> Bar tape should never ever be white.


And anybody who disagrees... .


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## Ningishzidda (2 Jul 2013)

Your Sister's husband or your Wife's brother?
Who is the most likely to leave you a fortune in their will?


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## Ningishzidda (2 Jul 2013)

Always white.


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## Ningishzidda (2 Jul 2013)

With a white Fizik Arione.


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## Ningishzidda (2 Jul 2013)

Yud be surprised how visible white handlebar tape is to a motorist at a T junction.


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## Stu9 (2 Jul 2013)

Doesnt matter how visible you are, the peanut's will still not see you


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## hopless500 (2 Jul 2013)

Got the revolting ex-white turned dirty grey tape off road bike handle bars a couple of weeks ago. Much much nicer with black tape. Changed the manky ex-white turned dirty grey saddle for a black one too. Much much nicer with black saddle


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## mcshroom (2 Jul 2013)

White tape doesn't turn grey if you buy the right stuff. I have deda leather effect bar tape on my horizon and it's still white 8 months and 4000kms after I put it on, just like the saddle.







The black just didn't look right: -


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## hopless500 (2 Jul 2013)

mcshroom said:


> White tape doesn't turn grey if you buy the right stuff. I have deda leather effect bar tape on my horizon and it's still white 8 months and 4000kms after I put it on, just like the saddle.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
To be fair, that does look better in white. 
Anyhow, I didn't put the white tape and saddle on, they were on it when I bought it. The saddle is leather and just looks creased and grubby. Gawd knows what the tape was made of


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## VamP (2 Jul 2013)

StuartG said:


> I've never seen white bar tape. I've seen bar tape that used to white ...


 
Fizik Microtex - that's the stuff you want to try...


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## gaz (2 Jul 2013)

black tape and black saddles.


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## GrumpyGregry (2 Jul 2013)

Saddle and bar tape must match as any fule kno. The trick, for the Brooks rider, is to keep them matched. Brooks tape fades badly in sunlight.


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## MisterStan (2 Jul 2013)

GregCollins said:


> Brooks tape fades badly in sunlight.


Little danger of that occurring this summer.


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## bobcat (2 Jul 2013)

Who cares about velomanti? rules or anyone else's, if it bugs up the brother in law it works! Ride what YOU like.


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## fossyant (2 Jul 2013)

Black tape, black saddles here too.

Gave up on colours. White saddles look a mess after a while, same with tape.


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## hobbitonabike (2 Jul 2013)

Ningishzidda said:


> Your Sister's husband or your Wife's brother?
> Who is the most likely to leave you a fortune in their will?



Its my husbands sisters husband lol...not likely me to leave me anything and I do love to torment him mwahahahahaaaaa


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## Accy cyclist (3 Jul 2013)

White tape looks nice when clean. I've found that undiluted washing up liquid and a light abrasive pad keeps it whiter for longer!


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## Shut Up Legs (3 Jul 2013)

green1 said:


> Bar tape should never ever be white.


Agreed. For some reason, the bar tape on the road bike I bought in November is white, plus the material is a soft, velvety texture guaranteed to pick up dirt, if I even look at it. Suffice to say it's grey now, and will be replaced once it starts looking really disgusting.


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## tiswas-steve (3 Jul 2013)

Fizik microtape for me as well, white of course. I've had mine for over a year and its still looking good. Saddle and tape MUST match, it's da rules.


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## cd365 (3 Jul 2013)

My new bike came with a white saddle and bar tape, after the first trip out the bar tape looked grubby, once it looks really bad I will replace it with black tape.


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## Globalti (3 Jul 2013)

When I picked up my new Spesh I asked the shop staff to change the tape and saddle from white to black before I even took it out of the shop, which they did, happily.


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## Saluki (3 Jul 2013)

Blue bar tape and black saddle. The bar tape matches the blue decals that Giant saw fit to put on the bike. I like it.


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## Hip Priest (3 Jul 2013)

Black, black, black.


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## Sittingduck (3 Jul 2013)

White's alright if it's the stuff you can clean up well with baby wipes. The cotton or cork stuff don't cut the mustard...

Black's a safe option and always looks right.


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## TonyEnjoyD (3 Jul 2013)

Red n black roadie frame, black saddle and bar tape, red cable outers black pedals, black tyres with red detail.

I did have red bar tape, but two flats during the lousy weather put paid to that.


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## nilling (4 Jul 2013)

Black/Black on all my bikes except my Bianchi fixie which is of course has Bianchi Green bar tape


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## MisterStan (4 Jul 2013)

nilling said:


> *Bianchi Green bar tape*


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## Soltydog (4 Jul 2013)

Saluki said:


> Blue bar tape and black saddle.


Ditto. I did change the bar tape to black, but the whole bike looked dull, so its back to blue bar tape now 
If I could find a comfy blue saddle I'd change that to match


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## Shadow (4 Jul 2013)

I'm not changing my white bar tape til its really non-white when I shall get pink tape and a pink saddle.


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## Cycleops (4 Jul 2013)

Matching bra and panties every time.


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## biggs682 (4 Jul 2013)

i like bright coloured bikes , but cant stand white saddles & bar tape so normally go for whats on offer


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## Shadow (16 Apr 2020)

Holy thread resurrection batman!


Shadow said:


> I'm not changing my white bar tape til its really non-white when I shall get pink tape and a pink saddle.


Nothing like planning ahead.....tape duly changed, at last....






...'correct' saddle harder to find!


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## Ming the Merciless (16 Apr 2020)

To really wind him up get tyres in a different colour and brake cables in another.


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## Globalti (17 Apr 2020)

Shadow said:


> Holy thread resurrection batman!
> 
> Nothing like planning ahead.....tape duly changed, at last....
> View attachment 515615
> ...



Yebbut now your bottle cages don't match!


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## DCBassman (17 Apr 2020)

Globalti said:


> Yebbut now your bottle cages don't match!


That's what hit me immediately!
Mind, one bike has black saddle, bright blue tape, the other has mismatched wheels...


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## Dogtrousers (17 Apr 2020)

Explain that they are in harmony. Tell him that only a dullard would demand that they are the same colour, and that if he cannot appreciate the subtle counterpoint between your lime green bar tape and purple saddle then he is unworthy of the title of brother-in-law.


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## figbat (17 Apr 2020)

How about a different colour tape on each side of the bar?


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## jayonabike (17 Apr 2020)

Nowt wrong with white tape and saddle


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## SkipdiverJohn (17 Apr 2020)

hopless500 said:


> Got the revolting ex-white turned dirty grey tape off road bike handle bars a couple of weeks ago. Much much nicer with black tape. Changed the manky ex-white turned dirty grey saddle for a black one too. Much much nicer with black saddle



White bar tape will stay white up until the first time you have to do a roadside puncture repair or put your chain back on - then it will no longer be white.  All light, easily marked, colours should be avoided on bikes that actually get ridden and not just polished and hung up on a wall.....


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## bikingdad90 (17 Apr 2020)

jayonabike said:


> Nowt wrong with white tape and saddle
> View attachment 515698



Ohhh, that looks lush. Is the seatpost fixed?


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## Sharky (17 Apr 2020)

figbat said:


> How about a different colour tape on each side of the bar?


My hands are black and blue after every ride ..


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## jayonabike (17 Apr 2020)

bikingdad90 said:


> Ohhh, that looks lush. Is the seatpost fixed?


Yes it’s part of the frame.




Then cut to size. We measured, measured and measured again before cutting for the saddle to be fitted


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## Jody (17 Apr 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Explain that they are in harmony. Tell him that only a dullard would demand that they are the same colour, and that if he cannot appreciate the subtle counterpoint between your lime green bar tape and purple saddle then he is unworthy of the title of brother-in-law.



Don't worry. The OP hasn't been here for the last three years. He's probably had a few different bar tapes in the 7 years since this thread was started


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## Globalti (17 Apr 2020)

jayonabike said:


> Nowt wrong with white tape and saddle
> View attachment 515698


Phwooooar. Nice bike. Is it quite a stiff ride?


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## Dogtrousers (17 Apr 2020)

Jody said:


> Don't worry. The OP hasn't been here for the last three years. He's probably had a few different bar tapes in the 7 years since this thread was started


Another thread disinterment. I blame the Similar threads feature. Now, which one shall I click?


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## slowmotion (17 Apr 2020)

Having matching bar tape and saddle is like dying your pubes to match your hair colour. It's just WRONG!


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## Mr Celine (17 Apr 2020)

White looks great when newly wrapped. After a while it does look a bit grubby, but who wants to look like a noob that never rides their bike?


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## Mr Celine (17 Apr 2020)

figbat said:


> How about a different colour tape on each side of the bar?


Red on the left and green on the right might help to remind you which direction you're travelling.


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## bladesman73 (17 Apr 2020)

Mr Celine said:


> White looks great when newly wrapped. After a while it does look a bit grubby, but who wants to look like a noob that never rides their bike?
> View attachment 515722


Who wants a bike that looks grubby?


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## Jody (17 Apr 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Another thread disinterment. I blame the Similar threads feature. Now, which one shall I click?



 Nearly fallen foul of it myself.


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## jayonabike (17 Apr 2020)

Globalti said:


> Phwooooar. Nice bike. Is it quite a stiff ride?


Yeah it is quite a stiff ride, picks up speed quickly. Very comfortable as well, I rode London-Brighton-London with @ianrauk and a couple of others a few years ago and it was great over a long distance


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## jayonabike (17 Apr 2020)

White spirit is great for getting white bar tape clean again. The pic on the previous page of my bike against the wall I had done at least 2000 miles on it and no grubby bar tape


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## BalkanExpress (17 Apr 2020)

White bar tape, best way to show its a real bike and not a garage queen.


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## BalkanExpress (17 Apr 2020)

Saddle and bar tape the same colour...among others


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## BalkanExpress (17 Apr 2020)

Okay, there’s is no excuse for this one But the tape and pedals match


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## SkipdiverJohn (17 Apr 2020)

BalkanExpress said:


> White bar tape, best way to show its a real bike and not a garage queen.



If you looked at any of mine, the road dirt all over the tyre treads and the frames covered with dust from riding over gravel tracks will tell you that they get ridden. I don't need white bar tape (or a white saddle) to keep visual reminders of use on!


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## BalkanExpress (17 Apr 2020)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> If you looked at any of mine, the road dirt all over the tyre treads and the frames covered with dust from riding over gravel tracks will tell you that they get ridden. I don't need white bar tape (or a white saddle) to keep visual reminders of use on!



I had always assumed that at a tenner a go you threw them away when they got too dirty


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## SkipdiverJohn (17 Apr 2020)

BalkanExpress said:


> I had always assumed that at a tenner a go you threw them away when they got too dirty



The cheek of some people!  Nothing of mine gets binned for being grubby, they are usually in that state when I acquire them. Whilst it's true that my most-ridden bike, the Raleigh Pioneer Trail, did only cost me a crisp tenner to buy (but another £40 to get it sorted), I have on one occasion pushed out the boat as far as £43 on a used purchase.
I didn't even need a lie down to recover afterwards, as I felt that for a full 531ST frame in my ideal size, it was not overly extravagant.


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