Dear Bike Companies:

[Meg McKilty]

I am fed up with looking at new WSD bikes and finding nasty, unserious colors on them, such as "Tangerine Orange" or "Caribbean Bayou Blue".

Do you think I am not a serious biker? Or perhaps you should add a big pink honkey-horn to the front to match my Canari Yellow threaded plastic basket on my roadie or triathlon cycle.

Please stop trying to make me look like an *** when riding with the boys. I do not appreciate donning Precious Purple when attempting to be taken as a professional, grown-up rider in a line of cool Steel-Gray Blue, Pewter, Black, Burnt Orange, Maroon, or Ivory/Creme -colored boy bikes.

I refuse to purchase a bike that is tailored to me with Seafoam Green splashed on it. Why don't you hire Lisa Frank to add some puppy and dolphin stickers on them, while you're at it?

Barely Cordially,
-Megan S.
(What else pisses you off when you look in bike catalogs or stores?)

[mimitabby]

um, Meg, SOME of us think Tangerine orange is a hot, fast color!
Just last year I went into a bike store and all he had was black bikes!!
I am glad some colors are leaking back into the mix. but I agree with you
about more cool colors for us gals!

[KnottedYet]

I tried not to laugh out loud when I saw the pink floor pumps with hibiscus blossoms all over them at my LBS this weekend. Lots of pink floor pumps on display, but only a couple regular colored ones left.

Unless a woman is doing a pink theme (like PinkBike), I don't see the appeal of a pink floor pump.

(phallic imagery can be taken just a little too far...)

[mimitabby]

I saw those things too. It might be a fun gift to give to a too macho guy (like my younger son, but he already has a good pump)

[farrellcollie]

I somewhat agree (actually I really want an orange bike - it is pastels that i despise as well as flowers, or ladybugs or butterflies on a bike)- I do not understand why all the bikes from same company and which are the same model- both wsd and non-wsd - are not the same color. I am not criticizing anyone who wants a pastel bike or even those who enjoy bug or flower designs - I just don't want it foisted on me because the bike company has a stereotyped vision of women.

[BarbaraAlys]

[QUOTE=farrellcollie;191925]I somewhat agree (actually I really want an orange bike -


My new Trek is orange and cream It is a 2.1 WSD (not the Pilot 2.1, just 2.1)

Barbara

[bouncybouncy]

Forgive my ignorance...but don't most bikes come in basic colors as well as (what you call) unserious colors??? Every bike I have looked at lately has had a "serious" color option as well. (I am looking at mtbikes so that may make a difference)

btw: I consider myself a pretty serious rider (did over 13 hours and well over 100 mountain miles last week...doing a pretty serious ride tomorrow and training for a really serious ride in a few weeks (the website warns riders of the difficulty of the ride several times!!) ALL of this on my TANGERINE ORANGE SANTA CRUZ with PINK cables and a PINK saddle ....and my training road rides are on a ROSE QUARTZ GUNNAR (yes...PINK!!!)

I am not trying to sound blunt but I think there are just as many of us who like color (crazy colors even) and of course it would be great if the options were endless...sometimes custom is the only way to get exactly what you want. No one has treated me any less of a rider cause I ride wacky colored bikes...in fact I get noticed a little more...your performance on the bike is going to ultimately prove what kind of rider you are!

Finally...I must say I would whole-heartily agree that bikes (WSD & non-WSD) should have a few more color options!

[Kimmyt]

Is there such a thing as an unserious color?

Seriously, your riding should speak for itself. I've seen DUDES riding pink bikes. It's silly looking, but it doesn't seem to phase them.

Anyway, though, I do agree with you on the girly color thing. But for every one of us out there that hates 'typical' girly colors, there are those that say, 'hey i'm riding a GIRLY bike and i'm passing your ***, so why don't you kiss it (if you can catch up!)'.

I think the WSD bike market has it difficult, you know? Because we're all so split. Some women really go for feminine colors on a bike. Some loathe them.

K. (who rides a teal... effing TEAL bike and hates the color, but loves the fit)

oh, and the pink floor pumps, explained to me by a salesguy as 'its supposed to be easier for women to pump up their tires', to which i said, 'well i don't have any problem pumping up my tires, and even if i did i wouldn't buy it because it was pink' to which he responded 'please? we haven't sold a single one and i want to know if it really is easier!'