Don Gillies wrote: As we're on the subject of vintage bar-taping tips - - -
When traveling on a long tour or in a 3rd-world country, it's useful to be able to stash some pocket money on your bicycle frame, in a place where most people won't think to look. For this purpose, I like to take a $100 bill and wrap it under the bar tape, starting at the drops, and placing the $100 near the tops, finishing up the taping job with some decorative plastic tape. This looks especially nice on an Italian bicycle. Then in a pinch when I need it, I can just un-do the tape, get the $100, and tape the bars right back up again.
I've done this hundreds of times on various bikes and have lost track of all the bikes I've bought and sold over the years, probably several are in the hands of CR members, but over the many years I've been riding, having that $100 under tha handlebar tape has always given me peace of mind, which has made it all worthwhile to me ... (***)
That ripping sound last night was from list members tearing the handlebar tape off their bikes looking for hundred dollar bills. I think any bike, Italian or not, would look especially nice with a Ben Franklin peeping out of the handlebar tape. ;-)
John Hurley
Austin, Texas, USA