To provide a take-up leader having improved flexibility, and capable of overcoming the problem of the permanent deformation of the take-up leader on the curved point of a tape path when a tape drive is exposed to an extremely high temperature exceeding 130° F.

This single reel tape driving take-up leader is provided with a thin and long main body formed integrally between first and second ends, the first end being connected to a take-up reel in a tape drive, a means located in the second end, and detachably connected to a tape cartridge leader when a tape cartridge is loaded on the tape drive, and a means located in the thin and long body for improving the flexibility of at least a part of the thin and long body corresponding to a curved point around at least one guide roller in the curved tape path when the tape drive is in an unloaded state.