womens bike colours... do women really want pink? [Archive]

cyclingtosydney

10-30-2009, 06:06 AM

thanks a lot for your answers, they are pretty similar to the ones I got after canvasing my female friends - some loathe girlie pastels, some love them and some want just a hint of them!

I personally am not keen on traditional women's colours.. but when im commuting i do see a lot of girls riding pastel bikes - i was wondering if it was because they liked them or because that was what was available at the bike shops..

its usually men designing the bikes so i wondered if women were getting what they really wanted!

beccaB - thanks for the idea of linking to something like breast cancer awareness - i will suggest that.

Thanks! Kira

lo123

10-30-2009, 06:14 AM

thanks a lot for your answers, they are pretty similar to the ones I got after canvasing my female friends - some loathe girlie pastels, some love them and some want just a hint of them!

I personally am not keen on traditional women's colours.. but when im commuting i do see a lot of girls riding pastel bikes - i was wondering if it was because they liked them or because that was what was available at the bike shops..

Another who HATES the girlie colors (especially pink), but I ride with a lady who has about 20 million shades of pink on her bike. It's all a matter of preference.

As far as girls riding pastel bikes... It seems some manufacturers are worse than others. When I was looking at road bikes, one company in particular did not have a single paint job I liked! They were all too girlie

blackhillsbiker

10-30-2009, 06:27 AM

Green, blue or red. Maybe black with bright color accents. :D

Deb

sfa

10-30-2009, 06:37 AM

Bright orange, red, or lime green.

I don't mind pastels, but they have to match the type of bike--I'd ride a pink cruiser, but not a pink mountain bike.

And I don't think any bike should ever be mint green. Looks like toothpaste.

I'm also so over blue and white. Every single bike I've ever owned has been blue or white. Nothing wrong with them--I'm just sick of them.

Sarah

7rider

10-30-2009, 06:39 AM

Hi!

Im a graphic designer an i am working on some graphics for some new womens bikes. (mountain bikes)

my question is what colour bike would you like!

do the majority of women go for feminine colours like pale blue?

Thanks a lot for your help,

Kira

There are over 4,900 women members on this site. (well, maybe a bit less, if you remove the guys)
I imagine you will get just about that many different opinions about color preference from it.

Here's mine: I depends. (How do you like that as a starting point for design? :rolleyes:) Bike clothing-wise, I have many things that are black. I also have a few blue things and pink things. And a few screaming yellow thrown in for good measure.

My bikes are silver or black - better to accessorize and add that dash of style and color with the clothing.

My $0.02 (what's that in pounds?), just cuz you asked for it. :p

Eden

10-30-2009, 06:42 AM

You can set up an official poll on here if you would like - it would be easier to really see data and more people tend to hit the poll buttons than will type a reply.

As for me - pastels don't turn me on. My current bikes (none of which I had much choice about) are a deep ruby red - which I like a lot, naked Ti - fine, if a bit plain jane - its my rain bike though so it gets dressed up with fancy mud flaps (I just found hula girl winky vinyl - the kind that the girl dances if you move it back and forth...) and a school bus yellow TT bike which has several derogatory nicknames.

I once had a bike that was metallic baby blue with hot pink accents - I really hated the colors. It was the replacement for one that had been stolen. The year I originally purchased it, the colors were red with black accents, so the new one was a bit of a disappointment.

arielmoon

10-30-2009, 07:06 AM

I think you are going to find that personal preference is all over the board!

I love pink. I recently designed a pink and black bike on the Trek Project 1 website. AWESOME! :)

cyclingtosydney

10-30-2009, 07:17 AM

sounds like the best thing is to have a range then... to suit all tastes!

Ive added a poll now with some colour options..

7rider - thanks for your $0.02! the exchange rate isnt so good for us in the uk at the mo so that is quite valuable to me :-)

Biciclista

10-30-2009, 07:24 AM

I like bright colors, two tone bikes are especially cool. I ride a bright orange bike with red trim. I've also seen orange with brown trim and bright red and black bikes that I like.

I had far too many blue bikes as a kid to want to have another.

kiwibug

10-30-2009, 07:30 AM

Right now I ride a bike which is mostly baby blue, with some royal blue as well. I would have preferred it to be all royal blue. I love bright orange, red, green.. I could even go for a hot pink bike, but definitely not baby pink.

I really don't like pastels.

GrassyRidge

10-30-2009, 07:40 AM

I prefer normal (not pastel) colors with maybe a highlight of pastel to feminize them. I don't like pink bikes at all. I'm also not a fan of really dark colors (too hot in the sun). I would do white, grey, or blues and then highlight them with brighter colors.

shootingstar

10-30-2009, 07:43 AM

Is purple not a unisex colour? I had a purple bike for 9 yrs. Come to think of it, I hardly see purple bikes. Maybe it's gonna be the next colour craze.

I want a pink bike...for only 1-2 days. Novelty would wear off for me.
No, light blue doesn't do it for me at all for a bike.

I've seen a few guys on a pink road bike here and there about town. It must be the wierd cool factor for them...like seeing a pack of guys cycling in team kit with a bit of pink in their jerseys & shorts.

I do like wearing certain shades of pink near my face in non-cycling clothing. So am not against pink itself. But for a bike, it's like a tool of strength for me, hence need a colour for myself that conveys that.

I ride a silver bike ...with a red heart bike bell. So I do concede to a tiny bit of frivolity. :D

staceysue

10-30-2009, 07:47 AM

I'd like to see more pink accessories - things you can remove when you get sick of them like different colors of pink bar tape with embossed designs, etc. I'd never buy a pink bike.

MartianDestiny

10-30-2009, 07:49 AM

NO!

Now, I do understand that some women do want those colors. The ideal situation is to be able to have two or three colors in your lineup (like Yeti does). Then you can have a "girly"/pastel, neutral (white/black/silver), and maybe a bright (red, yellow, orange, etc).

I really like Scott's new blue/green/white color scheme (though honestly, I want to SEE the carbon on my expensive carbon bike..). Girly enough, but it doesn't scream "HEY I'M A CHICK'S BIKE" and artfully done graphics that compliment the bike; I think this is what company's that are going to limit to one paint color should be shooting for. But at the same time I love my "men's" red/white/raw road bike and would really like something in lime green, orange, yellow, etc.

tulip

10-30-2009, 07:49 AM

I answered the poll with the orange/green option, but I have a variety. None are pastel, but that's just me. If someone offered me a pink Orbea or Lightspeed or Seven or IF, well, I wouldn't turn it down. I have a persimmon red bike, a white bike, and an unpainted steel bike. They are all great, and I wouldn't trade them. I would like to have a yellow mountain bike someday.

I really like how my white bike looks, especially when it's clean.

NbyNW

10-30-2009, 07:57 AM

I like strong, bold, energetic colors. And I also tend to avoid so-called "feminine" colors. By some combination of accident and design, all of my current bikes are somewhere in the yellow-orange spectrum.

I think it's not uncommon to end up with a bike with colors you're not in love with -- sometimes you just don't have a choice, so you plunk down your money and enjoy the bike for what it does, and not what it looks like. For example, my mountain bike is a particularly ugly metallic yellow, but it was the only one left in my size. Still, it's been a great bike, it's been with me for a long time, and I like to think that its ugliness contributes to a certain amount of theft-proofness. That bike has survived San Francisco, Cambridge, New York, and Seattle.

That said, if I were to get a bike with any amount of pink on it, I'd prefer something closer to screaming electric pink, almost magenta, rather than a baby pastel pink. As accents, not as the main color.

Pax

10-30-2009, 08:17 AM

I typically buy mens bikes...so I don't have to have pastel/white/pink/baby blue bikes. *gag*

GLC1968

10-30-2009, 09:26 AM

I like all types of color combos but my favorite one is one that no one else will have.

When I ordered my current road bike, I was really bummed that it only came in the light blue/white swirl combo when I liked the newer version of silver and white swirl much better. I decided that the better frame material was worth a slightly less gorgeous frame color. Turns out, I love the colors now. I've never seen another bike like it in real life and I get compliments on it all the time. I guess the colors grew on me. ;)

My next bike will be custom and I have NO idea how I'll ever pick a color. I tend to lean towards more neutrals so that I can make changes in other things over time (like ivory, black, silver, etc) but my husband makes a very good point...is a pink or other really 'girly' bike less of a target for theft? I think it might be, so I'm actually considering the idea of embracing my feminine side once again.

BleeckerSt_Girl

10-30-2009, 09:37 AM

If you search older threads, you'll find some good longer ones on this very subject:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/search.php?searchid=2595799

channlluv

10-30-2009, 09:37 AM

The most beautiful bike I've seen is the Cannondale Synapse Carbon Feminine 3.

http://www3.cannondale.com/bikes/10/cusa/model-0RWC3C.html

Goooooooorgeous. Sexy. I love this bike. If only I could afford it.

I ride a lovely royal blue/cyan blue trim Specialized Ruby Comp, though, which is also quite nice. (Nobody tell her I'm crushing on the Fem 3.)

Roxy

roadie gal

10-30-2009, 09:52 AM

I loathe the girly colors.

Both of my bikes are pretty basic: the ti bike is plain ti and the carbon bike is the brown-black of the carbon weave. But I would like a plain bike with a splash of some NON-frilly color.

NbyNW

10-30-2009, 10:33 AM

...is a pink or other really 'girly' bike less of a target for theft?

I've been thinking about this, too. If my next bike were perfect (custom?) for me in every other regard, I might go with pink for this very reason.

lph

10-30-2009, 10:47 AM

I have loved red bikes since buying my first new bike as an adult, a deep, metallic gorgeous red. I still think that's my most beautiful bike ever. But I have a bright red road bike that doesn't look half as good.

I've always liked black and grey stuff, but the colours do tend to disappear. White bikes are very sexy. I now have a white mtb :D

Funny thing, I love brown and green and earth tones, in clothing and in general, but I dislike them on bikes. They just look wrong to me.

I don't like pink, but I have seen some very cool pink bikes with attitude.

Aggie_Ama

10-30-2009, 11:16 AM

My mountain bike is a gorgeous (to me) black with pink symbols by Gary Fisher. My road bike is a white, two shades blue (darkish) and black. I LOVE deep purples but pastel purple I hate.

nscrbug

10-30-2009, 11:36 AM

Well, my current bike is mostly red with some black & white added in. My previous bike was a silvery purple color...but it looked more silver than purple, IMO.

A pastel pink or baby blue bike would not appeal to me, personally. If I were able to select a color for my next bike, I would probably go with black as the base color, with a brighter accent color...maybe something like a bright orange, yellow, or lime green.

e.e.cummings

10-30-2009, 11:44 AM

Try a Ferrari red with metallic - that would look hot! Or try a take on roadster colours - like you see in the tweed rides - black or green body, with tan leather seat, tan leather handle tape.

Personally my ride is a Giant Avail (green and silver - I like it - nothing cutesy-pie). My Kona Dew hybrid is pretty bland, dark navy with orange-bronze script, which was pretty plain, a little too plain, so I dressed it with bronze handlebar extensions, looks cool now.

Don't like bubble-gum colours - just went through that searching for a heart monitor watch in Polar. Almost everything for women was pastel or bubble gum. Finally found one in black.

kimikaw

10-30-2009, 01:23 PM

Last month when I was shopping for my bike, the guy at the LBS pulled out the black model of the Dolce Sport for me to try. After I rode it, and had decided this was the bike, I told him I wanted the white/berry version (http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEquipPopup.jsp?equipimage=/OA_MEDIA/2010/bikes/9008-72_l.jpg&equipmodel=Dolce%20Sport%20Compact).

He looked at me and said, "Well, you said this was your first real road bike, I assumed you wanted it in a serious color." I had a moment of WTF, and then pointed out he had just what I wanted in the proper size out in the rack. Once he realized I was serious about the apparently fluffy color scheme, there was all kinds of backpedalling about how pretty the bike was. Really like having a white bike and the feminine touches of deep purple suit me.

That said I'm not a huge fan of pastels, love magenta/fucsia/bright pink, esp. with black. Absolutely covet the Komen edition of the Ruby Compact Elite (http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEquipPopup.jsp?equipimage=/OA_MEDIA/2010/bikes/9002-51_l.jpg&equipmodel=Ruby%20Elite%20Compact). Someday..............

MommyBird

10-30-2009, 01:30 PM

Brandy

10-30-2009, 02:16 PM

No. No. No. No. No. Oh, and another no from my nine year old daughter, who refused to ride her purple Specialized Hot Rock because it was "too girly"...lol.

Owlie

10-30-2009, 02:22 PM

My baby (2009 Avail 3) is teal, white and aluminum, with black saddle and bar tape (doesn't show dirt).
Black with a pastel, if done right, can look pretty good. Would I buy a pink bike? No. I've also come to realize that while I like certain colors, they aren't necessarily ones I'd put on a bike. For bikes, I like bold colors and high contrast. This means that despite the fact that I like the Bianchi signature color, I probably wouldn't buy one. Blues, reds, black, and a darker green are high my favorites. The bikes I'm drooling over are some combination of black, white and red--looks good and and it's an easy combination to match.

Bluetree

10-30-2009, 03:01 PM

If someone offered me a pink Orbea or Lightspeed or Seven or IF, well, I wouldn't turn it down.

Neither would I.

But I wouldn't ride it, either. I'd sell it as quickly as possible and get myself something fierce.

No. No. No. No. No.

Have to disgree with you, Brandy. You didn't have enough "no"s!

tctrek

10-30-2009, 03:56 PM

I love my White Trek. White bar tape and white saddle complete the picture. A little swirl of silver on the frame, but very subtle. I can wear every color of the rainbow in jerseys on this bike and never clash!

e.e.cummings

10-30-2009, 06:00 PM

I agree with MommyBird - do one that's a bit flash, and another one that is the equivalent of the 'little black dress'.

MomOnBike

10-30-2009, 06:12 PM

My bikes are blue. I happen to like the color, so most of my Stuff is blue. That being said, I don't think I'd do well with a pastel blue. Ick. I prefer my bikes to be of the "Yeah, I'm blue. Ya wanna make somethin' of it?" variety.

I fear that a pink color scheme would be a deal-breaker with me - but I'll admire other people's pink bikes. They just aren't for me.

I'll try to be polite if it's pastel.

katieliz

10-30-2009, 07:07 PM

I like feminine accents esp in pink. I've ridden with some guys who make a snap judgement based on any feminine accessories, but they're quiet real fast after the ride ;) It's all in how you rock it.

shootingstar

10-30-2009, 07:46 PM

Being the only female in a house with three men I need to get an occasional dose of femininity. (Husband & two teen sons) My default color for personal items is pink.

I am typing this on a pink covered MacBook. My phone is pink, I carry a pink pen in my purse, and the list keeps going.

I rarely wear pink and I do not decorate with pink. My home is on the masculine side. There is so little in my life that is ubber feminine that my own sister is surprised when I opt for pink and I have to remind her about the guys out numbering me and my need to stake a feminine claim when I can."

It probably is safer for a bike manufacturer in terms of maximizing bike sales that a frame has pink accents instead of all over pink, unless done as a customized ordered bike.

Wow, Mommybird, the pink-hearted godmother/fairy. However it is understandable, given family composition. I don't have real interior design sense, but our living rm. loveseat is a deep purple-pink rich magenta colour. Set against sleek, black contemporary coffee table, etc. After all, see my avatar, that's my mixed media art work that I did with red, pink, purple and blue shades.

So pink in the right way, can add a slash of drama against black, deep purple, etc. A better way of expressing this is: I don't like pink roses since they aren't as visually dramatic as pink orchids or amrallyis. (I can't be against orchid.....it's my middle Chinese name in translation.)

And I agree with katieliz that pink needs an owner, colour-bearer who can wear /ride the colour with flair. Like our TE member, gnat, with her pink hair, pink-black skort jumper, etc. :) doing the Death Valley ride.

crazycanuck

10-30-2009, 11:20 PM

Ugh..Pink :mad: I don't do pink as it's too girly.

Give me a black bike.

tprevost

10-30-2009, 11:35 PM

My road bikes are both black/white/red combos but my mtn bike is black w/pink chris king hubs and headset... I do like a little pink on what is traditionally a more 'dirty' riding option... don't think I'd want a pink frame though :rolleyes:

Skierchickie

10-31-2009, 06:47 AM

NOPE! I did my pink phase (hot pink, at that) in the late '80s. I tricked-out my teal Trek 560 with pink tape, a funky pink & other colors lycra seat cover, pink toe clip straps, and myself with a hot pink Vetta helmet, shaped like a bowl. Hot pink was in. Now - I avoid it. Although I've been told a peachy-pink (or pinky-peach?) color suits me. Now a PEACH bike - that might be nice. Metal flake peach. So I guess I'm not completely anti-girly color.

I love color - just not pink-for-the-sake-of-being-pink. A pink paint accent is okay, if it fits with the rest of the bike. I certainly wouldn't pick a bike that was primarily pink or powder blue (although I'd go for the blue first). I'm turned off by the whole "pink is for women" thing, like "Here - this is the women's version. See - it's pink! Otherwise identical." I'd wear it before I'd ride it. I think I'd feel more kindly toward pink if it weren't seen as the universal "girl color". My DH had a huge (he's 6'-5") pink Diamondback road bike from 1992. By 2000 people were telling him how he must be very confident in his manhood. He had a hard time selling that thing!

I see my bike computer comes in pink now - clearly the "for the women" version. I like my white one. I did see one on someone's primarily grey, drab bike, which had just a touch of pink in it - it belonged there.

My bikes:
Road bike: Jamis Xenith Pro: Kind of an electric blue & white. GORGEOUS. Very vivid, and the paint scheme isn't "busy" like some seem to be now. I don't get some of the paint jobs lately.

MTB: Trek Fuel EX 9: Ugly anodized pewter color. I was looking at a beautiful vivid blue color EX 7 at the time, and I wanted THAT COLOR - just fell in love. However, this was a way nicer bike, a way better ride, and a closeout. I looked at the one I bought many times, lamenting the paint, and dreaming of the other one. Ultimately, it doesn't matter.

Touring bike: Trek 520: Black. It only came in black. You can accessorize that with anything at all. I don't think this bike is beautiful or anything, but I've got silver fenders, brushed aluminum cages, pump, etc on her. Went for the stealth look, and I think she looks sharp, but not heart-flutteringly so, like the roadie. Although the front panniers are yellow, for visibility.

redrhodie

10-31-2009, 07:30 AM

I'll always associate pink with Team Telekom.

Ooh, this is nice: http://www.tearsforgears.com/2007/09/telekom-and-kelme-merckx-team-bikes.html

IvonaDestroi

11-02-2009, 09:27 AM

I love feminine bikes, but the way I dress is sort of the anti-thesis of femininity (well, its sort of feminine, just a lot more on the rock n roll side), so what I love about colors like pink and blue are the contrast I get when I ride them. And they match my pink and blue hair. I do love it when things match my hair, lol!

I'm actually about to powdercoat my motobecane periwinkle with a pink fork and then add pink components and a pink single speed chain for detail. Note: it came as a single speed, it was free, and that would not be my first choice. However matching chains are pretty cute.:rolleyes:

I think the best looking bikes though are unusual custom color combinations, things that are hard to come by like neon details/components on a neutral frame, or vice versa. (I hate fixed gears, so dont get the wrong idea, lol!) I also really like the look of a contrasting fork on the frame and then matching components to that.

I just got a solid slate grey cannondale (kind of bright pastel grey, if you can imagine that) and I'm changing out all the components/housings to bright yellow. So it will be grey with neon yellow housings, pedals, brake hoods, sidewall tires, grip tape, etc... If I could put a yellow chain on it I would:p I ended up choosing yellow because it was the only non red/blue component color that I could find everything I needed in. The only other option was bright green. My original choice would have been neon pink components, but no can do on tires and pedals in my price range. And you don't even want to know how much they wanted for the rims, lol!

I think it's great to have a custom look. Blue and red are so easy to find, but as soon as you try to get unique colors like green, yellow, pink, purple, orange, etc.. It's almost impossible to get all matching parts and you have to do a lot of ordering and searching around, and it usually ends up costing more too.

I think if you could find a good source of unique matching component colors and did something creative with them your bikes would sell pretty well, because everyone wants a bike that they feel is their very own, and not just a generic factory issue.

Also I think minimalism on stickers/labels tends to make a bike look much less tacky...

just my personal opinions here,but to each their own by all means!

:cool:

shootingstar

11-03-2009, 07:40 AM

Ivona with your personal fashion sense, what you choose for bike frame colour would look really funky and cool.

Not many of us can carry and match our personal fashion to complement a funky, unusual multi-coloured bike. But then I've barely met many TE'ers in person.:o:rolleyes:

aeiea

11-03-2009, 08:51 AM

I would take pink over man-colored bikes any day.

I would then add a lot of purple to it to cover up most of the pink.

Final reason why I prefer feminine colors on a bike is I feel like punks are less likely to steal it. Pro-bike thieves are another story.

wildeny

11-03-2009, 10:54 PM

Hi!

Im a graphic designer an i am working on some graphics for some new womens bikes. (mountain bikes)

my question is what colour bike would you like!

do the majority of women go for feminine colours like pale blue?

No pink for me.
Please don't create any pinkish WSD bike any more.
I don't like red either

Blue, Black & White are my favorite. It doesn't have to be pale blue. My road bike is dark blue (Fuji Finest RC, which is a WSD).

BellaMTB

11-04-2009, 06:30 PM

I'm with wildeny - no pink (or "powder" blue) for me either. White, black (with some contrast), chrome (shiny silver) & blue (dark, or bright aqua like the Ibis) are my favorites, too. I like reds, greens, yellow, & orange look nice on other people's bikes, just not mine. Muted earth tones are a definite no -- too depressing.

Live2Ride

11-05-2009, 02:26 AM

I can't stand pastel or any floral, swirled, or leaf-like designs on bikes!!! I can't believe there are still so many WSD that have them....I wouldn't spend money on a sweet ride with a paint job I hated. I own a black santa cruz blur xc and a cannondale synapse road bike which is also black. Black isn't necessarily my only colour of choice, however the colour schemes of 'mens' bikes are far more appealing to my eyes in general. :D

Pyannyplayer

11-05-2009, 09:28 AM

I have a pink road bike (Pinkinator) and love it! That being said, it doesn't mean that every female on the planet needs to have pink; I like it and really, isn't that all that matters? I have a white saddle and bar tape, pink tires, pink computer, pink seat bag, pink water bottle holders, pink water bottles, pink jerseys....why? When I'm riding, you can SEE ME! I also want those guys, who may laugh at my pinkness, to KNOW it's a girl passing them up that hill!!

I agree though, that no one would steal my bike - custom paint job, pink....hhmmm... Don't think so.

The pinkness goes to where I work - all guys who took to stealing pens, paper, pencils, music stands so I had none. Now I have pink pens, paper, pencils, file folders, music stand (that none of them TOUCH!), paper clips, etc. Works for me. They wouldn't be caught DEAD with any of the pink supplies!!

However, I believe that everyone should ride whatever color they choose. Don't diss me for liking pink as much as I do; I won't diss you for liking whatever you like. It's a part of what makes each of us unique.

BTW I'm not a "girly" girl (tomboy and proud), but I like pink. :)

Lorie

sarahkonamojo

11-05-2009, 10:04 AM

You have received many opinions on bike colors. I have not read them all.
My suggestion would to base bike color choices on fashion and design colors. Like a fall themed bike or a bling bike, black with shiny.

Or better yet, a single color bike. All chrome, all almond, all black, etc.

Just my 2 cents.

Good luck.
Sarah

gnat23

11-05-2009, 08:17 PM

If I have learned anything on this site (and I have learned much), one of the takeaways is this:

Offer a choice of pink as well as one other non-girly color (black/white/red traditional seems to work well)

-- gnat! (will take pink)

denda

11-06-2009, 10:36 AM

NO PINK for me. I want RED, BLACK or white, thank you very much.

Atlas

11-06-2009, 11:52 AM

I love the diversity of answers here. Personally I do not ever want a pink bike. I had one as a child and begged my brother to paint it black – tomboy through and through. I want bold colors. Orange, crimson, cobalt blue, emerald green, plum. I love my Motobecane because its such a beautiful green with gold striping on the fenders.

That said, I think all bikes should come with a neutral choice like black or gray. And since there are a lot of women who love feminine colors, a pink or purple bike wouldn't be out of place.

Pedal Wench

11-06-2009, 12:59 PM

I love a hot, sexy pink. Have a bike that's black with hot pink flames - not really girly, but fast! And, I have a Colnago with the Lampre pink/blue paint that I love. Colnago uses pink accents, and a few of mine have a touch of pink, or even magenta. Love it like that -- don't care as much for a totally pale pink bike.

But, give me purple and my knees get weak!

Jiffer

11-07-2009, 05:33 PM

I am a HUGE fan of pink. All my jerseys are pink. Handlebars on bike are pink. Bottle cages used to be pink until I caved and got nicer ones that don't come in pink. Saddle used to be pink until I caved and found something I can actually tolerate. I'm sad that I'm losing some of my pink on my bike. However, I did inspired my club to order pink jerseys in addition to their blue and yellow ones. It's all about the pink ... in moderation, of course!

Medianox

11-07-2009, 08:13 PM

There used to be a phrase, "a good horse is never a bad color"...my bike is bright blood red and black and I love it. I didn't set out to buy any particular color of bike, that is just the one that fit best and felt best to me-color was totally of no importance in the choice. If it was blue (or green or pink or white), I'd still love it, even though blue isn't one of my favorite colors-I'd live with it.

TrekJeni

11-08-2009, 07:17 PM

Miranda

11-09-2009, 05:17 PM

LOVE PINK!

My GF HiFi Pro 29er is blue and we swapped out all the cables with the pink Jagwire cables in addition to the Purely Custom pink headset spacers along with a headset cap that is engraved with Streamers Make Me Fast. Yeah, my $$$ FS race bike has streamers as do all my other bikes. I'm kinda famous in these parts..... :D:D:D

Look at those streamers fly.

10398

Omg, I LOVE those flying streamers! :D They *r*o*c*k* !!!:cool:

For the OP, I used to be a neutral white/black/silver bici girl. Then my new Orbea ride is white with hot pink. I ordered it sight unseen. As soon as I saw the pink, I was a total convert lol. My Trek mtb is a stock seafoam green. I think when I geeked out a custom Trek paint job, they had a lace pink for a mtb. I just think that's hilarious. Pink is suppose to be so proper and girly... but put it in the mud, it's just too funny. Spoken by a true TomBoy whose pastel pink dresses were always mud covered.;)

Ja Da Dee

11-10-2009, 05:38 AM

I think pink accessories are cool. hot pink and pastel pinks on dark bikes is pretty sharp. I also think light blue accessories would be cool. That way, if you get bored, you can always change out your grips and cables, without having to paint your bike. A friend has a grey Nomad with pink cables, grips and seat. It looks sharp.

My bike is white with red grips.

Editing to add ... a good bike is never a bad color, and if it is, you can always re-paint it.

yetigooch

11-11-2009, 06:33 PM

It's a matter of personal preference, some will like it some will not. I think manufacturers should give more color options to women's bikes (pink for those who like it, and standard colors for those who don't). My biggest complaint to bike companies is that they treat womens bikes as a second thought (e.g. no color options like the mens; inferior components compared to mens). Women like nice bikes too but the selection for top end bikes is very small compared to men. I had to custom build both my wife's bikes (mountain: Titus Racer X --- road: Look 585 Elle) so that she could have an equal or better quality bike than mine). I feel that providing equal quality of components on womens bikes that are found on mens bikes should be exercised more by companies......But that's just my opinion.

k

moderncyclista

12-15-2009, 04:33 PM

I would love to design paint schemes/graphics for bikes.

I would go with Jewel tones - dark reds, blues, greens, and yellows. Maybe with pinstripe detail in a lighter hue of the afformentioned colors. Or Vintage Green. Man, Cream color looks nice with brown accents. Lots of color choices. I would never buy a bike with Pink. I'm kind of a bike snob though.

SadieKate

12-15-2009, 04:57 PM

What does being a bike snob have to do with not caring for pink on your bike?

I'd describe myself as a bike snob and have plenty of pink on my bikes - and those bikes get tons of jealous comments from guys who want them to ride themselves.

zoom-zoom

12-15-2009, 06:04 PM

<--- I like that. :) My hubby has a carbon fiber (not painted, visible carbon threads) bike with pink brake cables and sort of rose handlebar tape. He's 6'2" and closing in on 250#s, so he can do pink and no one's gonna pick on him for it. ;)

moderncyclista

12-17-2009, 02:57 PM

What does being a bike snob have to do with not caring for pink on your bike?

I've just been called a "bike snob" for espousing this opinion. I don't believe there is a dictionary definition for bike snob yet. :p

Pink is fine for some. As a woman, I can't abide it - on my bikes, on my clothes, shoes, etc. Makes shopping for anything hard...and I hate that. I know guys at Critical Mass who proudly ride pink mixtes originally made for women. I don't care what you ride baby, as long as you ride. :D

tribogota

12-18-2009, 09:24 AM

Pic of my new bike, with the coolest pink handlebar tape. Her name is Taffy, she lives at her "grandmother's house" and Lollipop her sister, who is hot red, lives with me in Bogota.

crazycanuck

12-18-2009, 04:45 PM

kimikaw

12-18-2009, 05:05 PM

Tribogota,

As a fan of pink, I must say I find your new bike quite beautiful! Quite jealous, indeed

moderncyclista

12-19-2009, 04:54 PM

:o :eek: I found out yesterday that one of me coolio fave bike shops are able to get in a former demo Titus Racer X for me to try out...There's one...small...problem..

It's pink.

If it fits & it's the right price...i'm repainting it..black. NO freakin way am I riding a pink bike :rolleyes: :eek:

I don't have anything pink nor do I buy anything pink. Say no to pink.

I spoke with a Specialized rep. at my LBS a couple of months ago and he said the biggest problem Specialized had was figuring out what colors women want. He grilled me on what I thought, which I laughed about later. He said most women write them and love the "white bike, white bar tape look" and if they paint a bike "black" that women write in and complain. Personally, black is bomb-track to me. Mix a little color in there in the tape or saddle for looks is nice too. I told him that the 08' (special) Ruby Comp. in dark green that was at my LBS was awesome, also the 09' in dark red. He said he was trying to gently nudge his bosses to that way of thinking. Who knows. We should all e-mail manufacturers to let em' know our preferences.

Again, we all ride and that is the important thing. It makes us all...connected, even though we really don't know each other. :D

Mmm4dmb

12-19-2009, 09:07 PM

I, personally, wouldnt want a pink bike...I love the way they look I just wouldnt want one. I would, however, want a bike with some bright neon colors on it...as others have said womens bikes dont have half the choices that mens do, but, I do like the look of white sleek bikes as well, its all preference of the person I guess

shootingstar

12-19-2009, 10:15 PM

So there's someone else besides tribogota who has an overtly pink bike..

I wouldn't go as far as to buy or have a black bike unless it was used and a great discount.

Since am paying for it, I would want some colour. But pink is not my bike colour choice.

But as said earlier, I do wear some pink tops, certain solid shades hold well against very dark hair, regardless of woman's age. It's not necessarily a namby-pamby colour depending on the nature of top, etc. and how you wear it. ...which is best to wear the colour as if you don't even realize you're wearing pink. Even if it's at a construction site.

mhami

12-20-2009, 09:18 AM

First, let me say that I really like that pink, black, & white bike shown above. I think it looks cool. I would get a pink bike if it looked like that.

However, I am not a big fan of pink, baby or powder blue, or other girly designs on my bike. When I first was looking to buy a bike I was looking at the drop down frame (girl's frame) and the one I test rode was baby blue. I asked the salesman if he had one that wasn't so "pretty." I like the color of my bike to be similar to a color I would get for my car. In fact, I have a blue car and now a blue bike. :) I really like blue.

IvonaDestroi

12-25-2009, 09:03 PM

...along with a headset cap that is engraved with Streamers Make Me Fast...

10398

coolest. headset cap. ever. :D

Irulan

12-26-2009, 08:27 AM

So am I the only one here who doesn't care about the color if the price is right?

redrhodie

12-26-2009, 08:42 AM

No, you're not alone. I really wanted an orange bike, but ended up with white because it was a deal (and the only frame by the maker I wanted in my size in the US). Once I saw it in person, I loved the white, but it wasn't my first choice.

tribogota

12-26-2009, 11:47 AM

@ Irulan,I agree! both my bikes colors were chosen for me by the bike maker (whatever he had left over that other people didn't want, thus the GREAT discount), what I really cared about was the group, components, etc, if you give me some great shimano dura ace, I don't care what the color is! First bike was UGLY orange, but it worked!

Geonz

12-26-2009, 03:59 PM

Me 2~~ is it categorizing females to even assume we care? It's okay if you do, of course!

crazycanuck

12-27-2009, 12:02 AM

Wait! Wait!

If the price is right for the Titus demo bike you bet i'm a getting it!!! I know it's pink but i'm sure I can repaint it :D

I normally try & stay away from pink stuff but in this case it might not be possible...

Aggie_Ama

12-27-2009, 07:37 PM

I have to say I was really glad my Gary Fisher fit me because the brown Trek Fuel WSD design from last year totally didn't make me giddy. It looked like my Pawpaw's Delta 88 from the early 80's, so of course the bike looked heavy and slow. Luckily my black Fisher with pink accents fit me and made me happy to look at. I guess I could have gotten used to the Pawpaw bike, at least it would have made me think of my dear Pawpaw who I miss. ;) Besides I am too cheap (thrifty?) to waste money repainting a brand new bike because I don't like the color, my preference not that I blame someone who does.

ginny

12-30-2009, 07:53 AM

Here's another who will buy the best bike for the best price regardless of color. Having said that, my bianchi is a light bianchi green (I think it was girlified), but it has black accents so it looks fast, and my commuter is 'custard', read pale yellow, but sassed up with green accents. I guess both my bikes are in the pastel-y range, but they are both a little sassy with their accent colors. I am not sure how I would feel about a high end super sweet road bike in pastel pink - I mean, if you're giving one away, okay, but other than that...

Catrin

12-30-2009, 08:39 AM

I guess that, for me, color does come into the equation at least a little. I had a choice between a 2009 and 2010 Trek 7.6 FX -I like to think that I chose the more expensive 2010 model because I wanted to make sure it had the most current components for the 7.6. The 2009 is white, the 2010 a beautiful dark blue/green with some green stripes (it looks far better than it sounds). The color did play a small role in the choice, obviously it would show dirt much more easily.

That being said, I dislike pastels and pinks - it would have to be a very good deal on a very good bike to consider either pastels or pink.

bmccasland

12-30-2009, 10:56 AM

If it was a good bike, free, but pink... I'd get it repainted.

Loraura

01-04-2010, 01:55 PM

I won't buy a girly bike. I hate pink, teal, fuchia, peach, periwinkle, lavender and every other pastel.

It took me longer to find the right bikes, especially since I am small (ride a 44 or 49) and prefer WSD designs for the small shifters and other benifits.

Red, black, gray, navy, orange, white, maroon, green (even lime is OK if not all over the place) -- those are good!

Scroll work and details in a more feminine light are nice. But not in a baby doll color.

moderncyclista

01-04-2010, 02:28 PM

I would palp a pink bike only if given to me free of charge. Then I would promptly repaint it a nice verdant shade of green, brown leather bar tape, and brown leather saddle. *sigh* fantasy bike building in my head makes me sad sometimes. I have pondered having my Aurora re-painted green. *heavy sigh* :)

jessica47201

01-18-2010, 08:46 AM

I like the girly colored bikes for other women, but I would never ride a pink bike. One of my riding partners rides a pastel purple bike. It is very fitting for her and her personality. I personally have a matte black bike and I love it! My favorite thing about it is the matte part of it. I love the matte finish. I have outfitted my bike with pink/red marble bartape from TE and my husband bought me a pink camelback better bottle. I agree with a previous poster when she said she likes neutral colors and then spices it up with colored accessories. I'm thinking about changing my bar tape to yellow marble, but wondering if I might look like a taxi!!

ivorygorgon

01-18-2010, 06:21 PM

I am resigned to the fact that i don't think I will really be able to pick my color. It will come down to which bike fits the best, not looks the best. I would love to buy a pink Orbea, but that is out of my set price range.

Owlie

01-21-2010, 03:06 PM

If I found a good bike that fits me at the right price, I'd buy it regardless of color. Something like hot pink...I'd get the bike repainted. I can't pull off that color.
I do like having a choice of color, though. I wasn't sold on the gold version of my bike, that's for sure.

PinkBike

01-22-2010, 08:16 PM

I have an almost identical story to pyannyplayer's - so the guys I work with don't touch my stuff. It started as a joke and blossomed out of control.

So when I bought my Madone it was US Postal red/white/blue but I had it painted. Now I look for every possible pink accessory. A guy at Perfomance called it "uber-pink." From the frame to the bar tape/pedals/cables/tires/cages/seatbag/etcetc even down to the skewers and the chainring and stem bolts (thanks Running Mommy for the stem cover thingy). And all my clothing including vests and jackets and gloves and shoes and arm and leg warmers.

It gets noticed and I get remembered. I kinda like that. Nobody puts me down, but they always comment as they ride by. I don't like it when manufacturers make pink bikes because I want mine to be one of a kind.

I currently lust after these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190361939664&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

But truly I was (and probably still am) the tomboy of all tomboys. Go figure.