Aesthetic advice (Handlebar tape)

[christian]

I bought Douglas's Motorola-colored Merckx, and am in the process of building it up, and I've reached the critical stage of picking bar wrap color. And I'm stumped, so I thought I'd turn to the group for help.

I've got an option of two saddles, a black Rolls, and a white Flite, which isn't helping matters. I'm going to get the Merckx tape from Competitive Cyclist, simply because I've never before had a bike that was high-zoot enough to have it's own logo-tape.

Here are my current thoughts:

White with Red Letters w/ white Flite
Red with Black Letters w/ black Rolls (alt. buy red Regal from e-Richie)
Blue with Black Letters w/ black Rolls
White with Black Letters w/ white Flite

Scroll down in this thread for a pic of the bike: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?p=18545

Thoughts? I'm paralyzed with indecision!

Regards,
- Christian

[William]

JMO,

White tends to dirty-up quickly and get grungy looking. I generally stick to darker colors. (though I am a Flite fan...go black or red). Now your down to two choices. :D It's a 50/50 shot...GO FOR IT!


William's $.02

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . that white does get dirty quickly. My yellow tape does, especially on the left side which is the hand I wipe my tires with. It cleans up nice when you haul out the hose and wash it, but you still have to do that extra work.

Do you have a pic of the bike sans tape that you can post?

BBDave

[christian]

Do you have a pic of the bike sans tape that you can post?

BBDave

No, but I'll snap one over the weekend and post it on Monday. Good idea, BBDave!

- Christian

[Ozz]

find out and go with that...I think it was white.

Big deal if it gets dirty....it shows you ride a lot. Just change it once or twice a year if it bothers you.

[Peter]

Go with white tape/red letters and the white Flite.

White tape looks great when it gets dirty because when other riders see it they'll think you actually ride a lot and fear you; clean tape=poseur.

You have to replace the black stem, as well. Too many different colors makes the bike lose its color scheme. The stem sticks out like a zit on Britney Spears face. Send it to Spectrum Powder Works to have it powder coated to match one of the bike colors.

I can't see the color of the bars but it they're black you'll have to get rid of those, too. Sorry. ;-)

[Bill Bove]

Almost any bike looks good with a black saddle and white tape, and that's how Motorola rode them. In the rare instance that this formula does not work, say a red bike with yellow letters, try the back up rule. Black saddle with tape that matches the letters with very slight possibilty that the saddle can also match the tape. Dirty white tape always looks better than black. Black says that you are to lazy to clean your bike. The worst thing you can do to ugly up any bike though is use a lighter color saddle than tape. It always looks bad, always. I'd rather walk.

[christian]

You have to replace the black stem, as well.

I can't see the color of the bars but it they're black you'll have to get rid of those, too. Sorry. ;-)

Nah, it's the bike further down. And not to worry - I've got a Cinelli XA and 66-42 bars on. White with white it is, and if that doesn't do it for me, I'll swap to the Rolls.

- Christian