Took the bar tape off my old tri bars and all the sticky remained stuck. Any ideas on how to get it all of...? I'm assuming things like acetone will be too much...?
Are they aluminium? Try isopropyl alcohol, disc brake cleaner or WD40.
Are they aluminium?
Yes.
Assuming they're anodized then acetone will be fine, if they're paint then it might soften/strip it.
Or get a can of label remover.
https://cpc.farnell.com/electrolube/lrm200d/label-remover-lrm-200ml/dp/SALRM200D
The only cleaning products likely to attack aluminium or anodizing are things with extreme pH's like muck-off or caustic soda.
WD-40
The easiest way is to put a thin layer of insulation tape on the bars before you fit the bar tape...
My experience is that no matter what you use, it's a pain in the backside. WD40 didn't touch it when I tried, lots of elbow grease and a plastic scraper were the only things I could get to work. It took ages.
I now put insulation tape on new bars before applying bar tape, and just tape over any residue on old bar.