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@dmczone
From VeloNews a week ago: http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/04/bikes-and-tech/ask-nick-innovations-for-mechanics-why-white-tape-why-no-gloves-and-more_167777
Q
Nick, Why is white handlebar tape so popular in the peloton? It must need to be changed constantly in order to have a nice, new-looking bike at each race. With black it would seemingly last longer thus save on tape and more importantly, save time for the mechanic.
— Scott Allen
A
White bartape is the sign of a pro mechanic. It is a LOT more work, to be sure. But because it shows dirt so easily, the fact that it’s clean says something about the guy working on the bike: namely that his hands are clean!
Black tape does last longer, but it just doesn’t look as good as bright white (in my humble opinion). I know that I go on and on about the laziness of mechanics, but it’s all tongue-in-cheek. They are some of the hardest working people I know. And they obsess over how their bikes look (most of them see the bikes as their own, not the riders). The goal is to have showroom bikes each and every day. That isn’t always possible, but nothing spruces up a slightly tired bike like brand new white bartape. It also acts as a diversion: if the tape is clean, so is the bike, even if that’s not always true.