How important is bike color to you?

[dachshund]

It's not like it's red with orange and pink polka dots, right? Besides...when you're sitting on the saddle, looking down the road at a ribbon of fresh asphalt, just waiting to be ridden, do you really look at the color of your bike??

Hey.. what's wrong with red with orange and pink polka dots???

Actually I think it's a nice looking bike. But as others have said, if you like riding it, the color might improve by magic.

7rider, the thing I stare at if I ever get bored is the handlebars. Therefore I won't get basic black bar tape. That part of the bike has to have some color.

[Blueberry]

I don't think I'd buy a bike I didn't love. If the color bothered me, I wouldn't buy it. I know myself, and it would bother me every time I rode it. I know some folks aren't like that, but I am... Good luck, whatever you decide

CA

[indigoiis]

I really think sometimes, for me personally, the color of my bike affects me. I love the color blue, but the shade Specialized chose for their 2007 Dolce is not my blue. I ride that bike a lot, but I don't enjoy it as much as I would if I liked the color more. Plus the bar tape is white. I know I can swap it out or paint the frame, but I don't really have time.

I also hated the 2007 Trek series in Pepto pink. Bleh!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

As an artist, I find I am very much emotionally keyed into colors and textures. Not so much bothered by something that is old, scratched up, or 'ugly' (ugly can be beautiful), and there are lots of colors I do like....but if I detest the color, or if it has huge screaming logo brand names, then I'd just feel yucky riding it. Can't help it, it's a curse. I'm willing to pay extra for a look that makes me happy, and I realize I'm lucky in that I am able to have the choice.

Margo at Luna cycles was very cooperative when it came to choosing components and colors for my custom bike- she understood that I wanted subtle, and I am grateful to her for putting up with my quirks.

I remember spending a l-o-n-g time carefully removing the large stubborn logo stickers from my nice new black rims.

[RolliePollie]

Thanks everyone for your input. The more I look at the bike color, the more I think I just cannot buy that bike. I know I would definitely regret it and always lust after prettier bikes!!!! I agree as well about the humongous FELT logo...why do they have to do that? I don't like being a huge rolling advertisement. However, I'm looking at a 40% discount here, so I can live with the logo. Unfortunately, Felt is sold out on the all their 2008 women's bikes and in order to get the discount, my "source" has to order direct from Felt. So no 2008 for me!

I think the geometry of the men's Z bikes and the women's ZW's is similar...I'm going to check into that a little further. The women's Felts all come with a double and I already know I want to switch that out for a triple. Looks like there's at least one of the men's that comes with a triple. So maybe I can go that route and then switch out the handlebars, etc. to make it more like the women's sizing. Sigh...all this shopping is exciting, but it's also frustrating!!!

[kacie tri-ing]

I have to agree that bike color is really important. You HAVE to love the bike. It is too expensive, and you spend too much time on it not to love it completely. Granted, I like that particular bike, but if you do not, you should not buy it. Unless of course you have the resources to buy new bikes whenever you want!

Have fun! New bikes are awesome!

[Peanut03]

I would love to say that bike color is not important to me, but I can't. I was looking at a great deal on a bike, and I loved the bike, but it was powder blue. I really tried to get over the bike color, but I couldn't. I ended up buying another bike, which I love. It's black with very light pink detail.

[Fujichants]

I care a lot about bike color as well. If I find the color ugly, I won't buy it. But then again, i'm not too picky about colors either, as I like a lot of color combinations.

[VeloVT]

I don't object to that color scheme. However, I would not put white tape and seat with those colors, regardless of how trendy white tape is. The bike will look much more subtle and sophisticated and sleek and stealthy with black seat/tape, imo.

BTW here's the bike for those of you who are too lazy to click on the link (I would be some days):



(And I really like the look of white tape generally and even have it on my roadbike).

That said, I am of the school that would probably buy the bike, if I loved the ride and the price/components were right, even if I didn't love the colors.

Heck, I don't love the color scheme on my Bianchi cx/commuter bike. Now I really like celeste -- I do -- but the graphics on my model year are just kind of ugly in my opinion.



I've had the bike two years and I haven't changed my opinion on this. However, it's the little engine that could. It's just such a workhorse. And the geometry is so comfortable. I love riding it. The fact that it's not what I would ideally choose aesthetically somehow doesn't bother me.

My road bike... I'm constantly fussing over whether I like this or that on it... are the pink tires cheesy... does the black seat with white center stripe work acceptably well with white tape? and I'm just never satisfied... even though up close, the quality of the finish job on my road bike is beautiful (whether or not you like the graphics -- and I'm okay with them, though I think Cervelo, for instance, has nicer graphics).



I guess my point is, it's more complicated than just the colors. I would give the bike a chance. At least wait until you see it in the flesh.

[VeloVT]

I'm dating myself, but the name of color scheme REALLY makes me think of the scene in "Ghost" (w/ Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg) where Whoopi Goldberg, as a fake psychic, is channeling an older lady's dead husband, and she says, "damn baby, what'you do to yo' hair?" and the woman gets all flustered and flirtatious and says, "you like it? it's AUTUMN SUNRISE." (yup, orange).

sorry, carry on...

[JulieG]

Heck, I don't love the color scheme on my Bianchi cx/commuter bike. Now I really like celeste -- I do -- but the graphics on my model year are just kind of ugly in my opinion.

I love this bike! The graphics might be a little much, but I love the colors!

I purchased my first bike in forever over the summer (trek hybrid) and while it wasn't my first concern, color definitely played a part. I just wanted something low-key and not flashy. I'll save that for my first road bike!

[3for3]

When I was looking for my bike I categorically refused to get anything pink or purple or excessively "girlie." I wanted something black and sleek...kind of like the one you are looking at (but I agree with whoever it was that said the handlebars and seat should be black). However, while helping me research, my husband came across an amazing deal on a Bianchi Volpe....The bottom line was it offered the versatility I was looking for at a great price. The catch? I pretty much thought it was hideous. Until I found out the NAME of the color is gang-green. I decided that was awesome enough to overcome the ugliness. While patting myself on the back for managing to get over that hurdle, it arrived (we ordered it online) and I was horrified to realize it has leopard print on the back of the seat!!! (SO not me) I suppose I could switch that out if I really wanted to, but I've come to be proud of my girl and I now derive a strange sort of pride in her colors. SO...if it's the bike you want for the price you want, you can get past the color and even come to LOVE it.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

3for3-
I too love the name of that Volpe color...."Gang Green". How cool can you get?

I bought a banjo a few years ago because it was a great bargain by a known maker and I knew I could resell it for more. It had a formica fingerboard- white 'kitchen counter' with little gold flecks. Ugliest banjo I ever saw.
Played it, fell in love with it over the months. Now it's one of my favorite banjos and I think it's beautiful. People want to buy it from me all the time.

[ms pepperpot]

I didn't think I cared, but I went to the bike shop today to discuss my surly LHT. I thought I'd just have a choice between the weird blue they have at the moment and dark cherry red and thought i'd be happy with either. They only had in stock the blue, but also an old green.

I went for the green, but now I'm having doubts and thinking I should have chosen the blue, and am also disappointed they didn't have the cherry red. There's so many other more important things I need to be thinking about chosing for this bike, and I'm worrying about the colour

[Skierchickie]

I have to admit, when I bought my mountain bike, I was really unhappy about the anodized pewter paint. I'd been lusting over a beautiful blue lower end model, which was what got me looking in the first place. A fantastic deal on a fantastic close-out bike, and I've never regretted the choice.

I also have to admit the heart flutterings I felt when I first laid eyes on what is now my new Jamis Xenith Pro. I wasn't in the market for a new roadie. She was soooo beautiful! The ride quality matches, so I was a goner. I tell her she's the most beautiful bike in all the world! I tell my dog she's the most beautiful puppy in all the world! I sigh as I pass my old road bike, and tell her.... tell her... I'm SORRY!