Bit of a random one this... My bar tape is smelly....
I only use the top half of the bar, i only ride indoors you see, so no aero advantages to be gained at all. But obviously as i'm on Zwift etc i sweat.. LOTS.
So i've just taken off the top half of the taping down to the shifters and given the bars a clean along with some soapy water on the tape iself. The tape isn't a sticky one, it's held on with tension and tape at the end along with being a no-slip type stuff.
But curious as to what others generally do, do you take it all off and throw in the washing machine ? or..... what ?
If you only ride indoors then save yourself some money and don't bother with the bartape.
(oh and as for no aero advantages - true, but you're also not training your body to be able to ride in the drops)
It's dirt cheap, just replace it.
Also 2nd what him up there said, if you ride all the time on the tops you'll become accustomed to doing so and riding on the hoods / drops will be a right pain, literally.
You're missing the point on one part.... i NEVER ride it outdoors, ever ever.... .
Summer, winter, spring etc... .Never ever...
I've ridden it 3 times outdoors in 4 years.
(oh and as for no aero advantages – true, but you’re also not training your body to be able to ride in the drops)
Weeksy doesn't ride outdoors so not a problem 🙂
Stinky tape never been a problem here. Might be worth swapping with something that's easier to wipe clean with a sponge, like some lizardskin dsp.
Do you have another drop bar bike that you do ride outdoors though?
Binning or replace the tape with something easier to wipe down (or less likely to smell)
Wear gloves with bare bars.
Easier to take on and off for the washing machine than bar tape.
No, i don't ride other drop bar'd bikes outside. I rider either a FS or a HT only outdoors. The Drop bar'd bike is indoors on Zwift only. I did 902km in Jan on it... So i do use it a lot...
No, i don’t ride other drop bar’d bikes outside. I rider either a FS or a HT only outdoors
Be fun to see you turn up at Abingdon on Saturday on your FS 😉
I did 902km in Jan on it
I've never understood this for a stationery bike. Surely distance is completely meaningless, as you could just ride with minimum resistance in an enormous gear. How many hours does that represent?
Have you read the big Zwift thread? It's not meangingless at all!
Hours, 28 for Jan....
With a variable resistance trainer, you can't actually just have minimum resistance, it's configured to be accurate to 1% of real world Watts.
Have you read the big Zwift thread?
Not a chance! Riding on a stationary bike does not interest me!
Not a chance! Riding on a stationary bike does not interest me!
Interested enough to ask a question and make a statement about it though 🙂
I'd take the tape off and use a towel on the tops.
</span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #444444; font-size: 12px;">Not a chance! Riding on a stationary bike does not interest me!
Riding outside on skinny tyres on an uncomfortable bumpy road doesn't interest me 🙂
Anyway.... I've swapped the tape... I'm sure any of you lot would shudder at my work... it's not exactly factory 🙂
But it's only for the garage so i don't care... The bits I need are correct and feel OK.
The old tape is in the sink in some Halo wash 🙂 We'll see if it comes out OK.
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; background-color: #eeeeee;">Riding outside on skinny tyres on an uncomfortable bumpy road doesn’t interest me 🙂</span>
If you got out of the house more, you would have heard about the trend for bigger tyres on road bikes 😉
This new forum is taking its time bedding in, BTW
Maybe so Bob, but the won't fit either my frame or forks
I do plenty of riding outdoors, I have a Parkwood I often roadie on with quick XC rubber. Just not when it's freezing and wet every day.
90% of my Zwifting currently is done when my son is at home and wife at work, so I can't go out riding.
When the new lot gets smelly I vote go without too. It's not a issue ime. I used to ride my commuter sans tape for about 6 months > 20 miles a day no bother.
Just remove the bars completely if you’re only cycling inside. This will have the bonus effect of giving you a much better position for drinking or eating cake too. Win win
@weeksy - I can see how the turbo works for your available time, and I've often considered it myself.
I've resisted the urge, though, as I feel it would be too easy to get on the turbo instead of getting outdoors - and I enjoy that too much.