What about the kit??

[shellkay1212]

Okay, so I just put a Litespeed Tuscany in lay-a-way. (it's going to be a long three weeks). It isn't painted and has yellow stickers with some sort of yellow/grey camou-y handlebars. I got black matte bottle cages. And, I've read posts about accessorizing the bike.

But, I just got new pink sunglasses that I've only worn twice! According to the LBS resident fashion police - the glasses are to match your kit. Well, I don't really have kit(s). Perhaps I should have gotten black or white. I have a grey helmet which fashion guy says should also match the kit. Is the kit supposed to match the bike? What do I do about pink sunglasses with no pink on the bike and no pink kit? The bike is soooo cool I don't want to muck up the scenery with weird color combos!

(I am trying to post pictures but I'm doing something wrong!)

[divingbiker]

Okay, so I just put a Litespeed Tuscany in lay-a-way. (it's going to be a long three weeks). It isn't painted and has yellow stickers with some sort of yellow/grey camou-y handlebars.

Is this your bike? The one that was for sale here on TE?

[shellkay1212]

It is exactly like this one! It was at my LBS. One of the shop owner's wife wasn't riding - didn't like riding - so he sold it...TO ME!!!

[Flur]

Congrats on getting the bike!

I personally don't worry about matching the bike. My bike's celeste green, so unless I'm going to outfit in Bianchi clothes all the time I'm not going to match. I just wear whatever I want and as long as my clothes match each other I don't worry about the rest. I'd recommend getting a neutrally colored helmet so that it works with a lot of stuff.

[mimitabby]

you don't have to match your bike. if you did, you'd always have to wear the same color.
hm, i'm always wearing bright yellows for visibility. not sure that matches my bike. see what i mean? and sunglasses? they cost a fortune!!

enjoy your bike. work towards having an outfit that matches, but not for every day riding.

[martinkap]

Occasional matching is nice. Worrying about matching all the time is for 'sissy' or those with low self-esteem.

We, strong women can defend our fashion choices with one heavy sigh and long stare at the person. Honestly, if someone suggested that my sunglasses must match my watter bottles or something like that, I would laugh for a very long time. It is great to have your own style and choices which our not dictated by some 20 yo clerk in the LBS. Sunglasses are too finicky to care about color; they must match your cheekbones (we don't want additional wrinkles from too large sunglasses or from too small ones), must match you head size and must not give you headache after a day wearing them. That is important.

Honestly, I wear black with occasional red accents because I like red. My bike is silver and black. Recently I got a red chain because I just thought will be funny. But I will hapilly wear screaming yellow jacket in cloudy/rainy conditions and yellow screaming helmet because it MIGHT save my life. I don't care if I don't look as professional biker. It is actually even more fun to look like someone who just start biking and then blow fast around all the 'matchy' professionally $1k-spent-on-outfit. I never forget to remind them that they have 30 (or 20) gears and are still slower than me on a fixie. "Sorry, I have a fixie, I must pass you since I am FASTER than you!"

[Fujichants]

Wear whatever you want to wear, as long as it is comfortable for you. That is my take.

Are your pink sunglasses made for sports though? Or are they just for fashion? I tried running and riding with my oversize Prada sunglasses, and they kept slipping off my face because sweat started to accumulate at the nose pad part. I never had this happen with my running/cycling sunglasses.

[Aggie_Ama]

Oh to heck with the bike shop. I got my feelings really hurt when the guy at the bike shop told me my helmet had to match my bike. I have a gorgeous blue/white/black bike but I fell in love with a pink Atmos helmet. It only coordinates with a couple of kits, I could give a rat's arse less. Half the time my socks don't coordinate because I in too big of a hurry to find the ones that match. I wear brown sunglasses and cheaper ones too! Oh well. There can be too much snobbery and judgement, just ride and enjoy.

I also have blue Sidi shoes that match nothing, including the blues of my bike, but I love them! They are quirky and hardly anyone has them, that is the stuff I like. I probably look like the biggest fashion disaster in cycling but I have a darn good time in spite of it all.

[shellkay1212]

You guys are SOOOO right!!!!

I got the pink cycling glasses cause I LIKE THEM! I didn't like the white and didn't want black. I'm not even a pink kind of girl but those are the ones I liked!!!

I don't even have kits - so not sure why I even gave a hoot anyway! I'm really a hippy at heart anyway - so that means I can wear all sorts of odd ball stuff - right!?

[SouthernBelle]

I just read this:

http://jacquiephelan.wordpress.com/2...mitigated-gal/

If Jacquie isn't worried, I'm not either.

[bluebug32]

Considering I ride this bike, I don't think I'll be finding clothing to match it unless Kermit the Frog starts a clothing line.

[ilima]

You don't have to match the bike. But you still may want to get rid of the yellow stickers! My Merlin came with red stickers, which clashed with my pink King headset. A hair dryer, credit card and 30 minutes later--no more stickers.

I do plan to get some new stickers at some point, either from Merlin (the new Litespeed stickers are white) or make my own. I might try this place:
http://www.quickstickers.com/custom.php

I also want to get just a bit of bling to match my headset. Maybe some handlebar end caps and bottle cages.
http://www.purelycustom.com/c-31-road-bikes.aspx

[Kalidurga]

I just read this:

http://jacquiephelan.wordpress.com/2...mitigated-gal/

If Jacquie isn't worried, I'm not either.

Jacquie's one of my heroes. The fact that she recently rode a single speed mtb race in a men's three-piece suit is inspirational. That's a woman who can make up her own mind how to coordinate! (Though everyone else in that race also appears to be somewhat unusually coordinated...)

[Madride]

Yeah you should just wear whatever you want. I wear blue sunglasses that don't match with anything. My bike is orange and I don't have any blue clothes so they really don't match. I used to worry about it, but I decided that I don't care if they match because they are nice glasses and they are comfortable.

[LainiePants]

I also have a pink atmos helmet and it doesn't match anything I own, bikes or clothes. I'm fine with that.