Frivolous question - Bike Colour

[7rider]

Hi Ladies - I'm pretty excited because last week I took the plunge and ordered a custom bike (I had all kinds of trouble fitting with an off the shelf bike). Now I have the luxury of choosing a colour.

My bike jacket (which I just about live in unless it is really hot) is a tomato red, but I've seen tomato red bikes and don't like the look of them. I saw a metallic dark red bike which looks great. Do you think it matters that different shades of red clash - or should I just go with it? (never have this problem with blues).

I thought of getting something neutral like a silver and black bike - but that looked too boring. The other alternative is to get a silver and black bike with some red...but that seems a bit complicated.

There's nothing boring with silver and black!!!
If you post the question, then things like color matter quite a bit for you.
I'd vote for just the "neutral" color scheme that you mention (is the new ride ti?)...and "dress it up" with color splashes that can change more easily with the whims of fashion. Things like handlebar tape, saddle, waterbottle cages, headset caps, tires - those things you can change more easily to match your prevailing style. It's not complicated!
If you go with a paint color - say red - you'll always be wondering if the red matches other things in your outfit. My DH has a cranberry and sage green bike. Looks gorgeous. But he's (currently) got a blue helmet, and it just looks silly (shhhhh....don't tell him I said that!).
Of course....everything goes with black......

[smilingcat]

I love a pearlescent red. They sparkle.

I was actually thinking of having my commercial sized mixer 20quart hobart mixer (think of very large kitchenaid mixer) stripped and repainted.

My houesmate wants me to have flames painted on it too . I was thinking of powder coated with skyblue with hint of purple and have it pearlescent. wrong place to ask but would this void NSF rating on my mixer? I think there were professional cooks here so would know what I'm talking about.

Sorry for the derail.

smilingcat

[pooks]

DH has a cranberry and sage green bike.

That sounds gorgeous. Pics?

Color is a very individual thing. And to some of us, it's important. I'm not in love with my bike's colors but it could have been worse. I'd have trouble spending a lot of money on a bike if I hated the color, but if I got a great deal on a bike I loved, I could convince myself I loved the color, too!

You know, I just noticed that my bike is in bluebonnet-y colors. Maybe I could deck it out with bluebonnets (see my avatar) and then I'd truly love it, too!

[jotjepoes]

Thanks for all your enthusiastic replies - it's really heartened me. I'm getting a "Baum", he's a local maker here in Victoria, Australia and has a great reputation. The guy that does the sales is really good. It will be steel, but because I'm pretty tiny (4'11") so the frame shouldn't be much over 1kg. We did a fit last week, but I'm going to see him tomorrow to choose colours - I'm tempted to go for the red. Anyway here is the bike (again) and a close of up of the jacket. (I'm not a regular poster and having trouble putting these on as pictures). In real life the jacket is a bit more of a brighter red. I'd be interested to see if you think it matches or clashes!

Thanks again!

[pooks]

No wonder you love that jacket! I do, too! Tell us more about it.

It looks to me like your bike and jacket will look great together, just from what I can tell in the pictures. Does the jacket have grey sleeves? That might influence how you trim the bike out. And maybe it's just me, but I think a dash of gold or yellow (on you and maybe on your bike) might add the final spark.

But however else you decide to go with it, I love that colour.

WARNING: I'm a newbie here and am just voicing my uneducated opinions. Pay more attention to the others with more experience in doing this sort of thing!

[mimitabby]

uh, Pooks you are not a newby anymore. sorry.

[pooks]

Well, I may not be a newbie to the board but I'm a newbie to the sport.

If that makes sense.

LOL

[mimitabby]

yeah, but this isn't about sport, it's about preferences, and color sense, and you've been around the block on this, are a wise woman and your opinion should NOT be discounted just because you're not a bike racer yet.

[jotjepoes]

The jacket is brought out by Jaggad. It's great- red (although it is a brighter red than in that picture) with grey sleeves. The sleeves zip off so that in spring and autumn, when I warm up I use the bodice of the jacket as a wind breaker. The jacket is wind-proof, breathable and highly water resistant. If I get caught in a shower the top part of me is generally dry. It also wicks perspiration. In winter (which it is now downunder) I rug up before going for a ride and then start to perspire. I dont' realise how much until I stop riding and feel how damp it is when i take the jacket off.

Anyway, going off to the bike maker to match swabs. I'm going to try to get a matching metallic red with grey and black trim.

btw - I'm definitely a newby - this will be my first road bike - very excited. Thanks ladies for your input. When I get it I'll put a picture up - but that will be several weeks!

cheers!

[7rider]

That sounds gorgeous. Pics?

Here it is.
Beautiful. Incredibly difficult to match...if that's your thing.

Good luck with your bike, jotjepoes. It looks sweet!