Do you care about the paint scheme?

Fit is most important but yes, the paint is also important to me...but not in the way it is for most people. I'm not adverse to pink or light blue or flowers but I also like orange, red, navy and black. My issue is that I don't want a bike that looks like everyone else's. I always want something different.

If that means a bike that is super popular but in a weird color, great. If it means a bike that no one else has in a relatively common colorway, That's fine, too. I just like to be different.

(My commuter is a Terry in boring silver but due to it's small front wheel it's odd looking and I like that about it. My road bike is also a Terry in a stunning blue and white swirl paint, so it really stands out and I love it!)

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

My issue is that I don't want a bike that looks like everyone else's. I always want something different.

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I agree, but I also want to add that I wouldn't want to ride something completely heinous either... there is a limit to what I'd consider riding, based solely on looks.. I'm not a huge fan of yellow for example, so anything with a lot of yellow is a huge turn off, but not a complete deal breaker.. but yellow with something like purple.. most likely is, even though I do like purple.. just absolutely not with yellow (or orange.. and I love orange.. my bikes are both orange!) :)

Yes, it is important to me. My current road bike is black with red and silver/gray accents. I love it. I call it my "Black Stallion." I was looking at the end of the year sales last year, and found an upgrade with the right components at a great price, however, it was white and red. And so, another year for me and my trusty black steed. :rolleyes:

Very important to me, I refused to get a Trek Fuel last year because it was a sandy beige and rootbeer. The bike looked like my Pawpaw's 1984 Oldsmobile to me. I was so lucky that the Gary Fisher with sparkly black paint and a slight bit of pink was the best fitting bike of my life and it is a show stopper. Seriously, I haven't seen another one in Texas and even the wrenches at the shop flip over the bike. They didn't stock the bike, so there aren't any that come into the shop. I love that it is mass produced but really unique because it is a higher end bike most shops chose not to stock. And I don't even like pink that much!

Of course after discovering that a bike that fits like a glove is way more fun to ride, I will concede my next bike will be bought 100% on fit so hopefully I will be able to go custom. I love to mountain bike 10x more than road riding, but I didn't until I got a bike that fit. My road bike is not a great fit and thus my love of the road has fallen immensely.

Of course I care about the paint scheme... I'm one of those people that have to match everything on every ride - bike, shoes, kit, socks, helmet, gloves... :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Aggie_Ama

Very important to me, I refused to get a Trek Fuel last year because it was a sandy beige and rootbeer. The bike looked like my Pawpaw's 1984 Oldsmobile to me.

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:eek: I would like to pick color... I loved the Gary Fisher paint scheme, but when I rode the two I ended up with the Root Beer colored Trek Fuel because it felt better to me.

I still hate the color, but I don't see the color when I'm riding it. And it actually gets enough complements that I'm beginning to feel better about it. :D

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Originally Posted by pumpkinpony

:eek: I would like to pick color... I loved the Gary Fisher paint scheme, but when I rode the two I ended up with the Root Beer colored Trek Fuel because it felt better to me.

I still hate the color, but I don't see the color when I'm riding it. And it actually gets enough complements that I'm beginning to feel better about it. :D

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You know Fisher geometry is either awesome or awful. If it hadn't worked for me I would have ended up with the Trek despite not being crazy for the frame paint scheme. It was spec'd great and Trek was having a crazy sale last July so the bikes were way cheap for the quality. So yeah I would be in the same place you are, ultimately fit would have won.

I did see one at the trail a few weeks back and liked it. At first I didn't realize it was the bike I wasn't crazy about in the shop! I thought that was kind of funny. :)

Nah....color is irrelevant b/c I ride so fast I am a blur and no one can see me!:D

Seriously - once I found a bike that fit and handled the way I wanted then I worked within the colors available - I went for basic black and white - that way I can add any color accessory that I like, and being a girl - I am fickle. First it was pink for a few years - now it is kelly green.

I really do think about components, design and manufacturer first (really I do) but that said... the paint color or scheme always sold the bike for me. All 3 of my current rideable bikes I was very selective about color (My Zurich is silver/sparkly indigo blue, the Santa Cruz dark indigo blue and the Spec. Stump. silver - yes there is a theme here).

I am having a Landshark built (actually frame and folk done - just waiting for the shop to complete the build up). I choose Landshark over another custom builder (all goods bikes) because of the custom paint. My scheme? Green grass, vines and wild roses floating up to a blue skies with clouds.

I should pick the bike up next month and will post a photo.

Color is so important to me too. I wanted a bike that I loved to see everyday and felt great riding! I am all about matching too. I am surprised so many people don't like/want pink! I really wanted pink on my bike- my bike frame is grey but I have accessorized it (saddle, saddle bag, water bottles and cages) with lots of pink and totally love it!

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Originally Posted by islandgirl2

Color is so important to me too. I wanted a bike that I loved to see everyday and felt great riding! I am all about matching too. I am surprised so many people don't like/want pink! I really wanted pink on my bike- my bike frame is grey but I have accessorized it (saddle, saddle bag, water bottles and cages) with lots of pink and totally love it!

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I am not a pink girl myself but I decided to add a touch of pink to my paint design in the form of small roses along the seat tube and fork. Now the shop talked me into a pink CK headset - that I would not have done on my own!

Yes, it matters.

But horrible colors can be influenced by neighbor colors...I once survived horrible kitchen carpeting by accenting with red things and shiny things.

True confession: I have moved clothes around on a clothes line to make the color arrangement more satisfactory.

It really matters. I really dislike girly colors and head towards the super saturated ones. I love really vivid greens, reds, and blues. I went with a black bike since orange wasn't available and have accessorized it with orange. Next color will be grass green. I don't mind the black, red, and white combinations but they are really popular and I want something different.

Fit is most important to me but color is important too. I love bright, vivid colors on a bike. My last road bike was a gray carbon trek. Great bike but very, very blah. I brightened it up as best I could with bar tape and bag but there is only so much you can do short of a powdercoat. When I got my Luna, picking the color was important to me. I wanted it to be purple and white but it had to be the right color of purple. It cost more but it was worth it to me.

I test rode a Surly LHT last week and while it rode great, I couldn't get past the olive drab green color. I ruled it out immediately because of the color. I won't consider the flowery, girlie bikes either.

Colour: hmmmm if I had money to have it custom painted to shade I wanted.

In the end, the fit is most important and deciding factor for buying my bike.