Nice bike - shame 'bout the colour scheme ...

[annie]

Hey Annie - that sounds sweet. Do you have a picture you can post?

I should do that, I really should. And I will, soon......... she IS a beautiful bike, to me, at least.

annie

[susiej]

So funny how everyone loves different colors! Everytime I see a WSD bike, I oooo and aaaa at the colors because they're so pretty (and so girly). Unfortunately, when I bought my Trek, I fit better on the standard version than the WSD, and thus have a fine, unisex blue/silver color design. But, I must admit, I paid more for the 06 version, because the red, white, and blue 05 version just wasn't for me. The color totally matters to me, but not enough to give up the perfect fit.

The other question is - how many of you coordinate your biking clothes/helmet/other accessories to match your bike?? I admit I definitely do.

My 2003 WSD Navigator 200 is ... blue with silver/white. The other choice might have been white/red, but wasn't in stock. I was happy to not have a overly "girlie" color, especially because the Navigator has the lowered top tube. On the other hand, that obviously WSD might inspire another woman rider as it sits in the bike rack at the train station.

I'd planned to coordinate my gear with the blue bike -- but then I found a cute exercise seperates collection at Target in light grey and pale yellow. So cute! Now all my things are grey and yellow -- and do you know how hard a combination that is to find?!

This isn't a "girl" thing either. My husband got his bike in part because of the cool bright yellow, and his bikewear all coordinates -- down to his black and yellow socks.

--SJ

[Prairiedog]

I just bought a new bike this spring and the bike I decided on fit me like a glove...but the in store bike was this poopy brown color. Definitely not a chic bike! So I had to order it in the only other color it came in (blue) and wait 4 weeks for it.

The looks of the bike matter.

[bcipam]

I just couldn't bring myself to purchase a yellow, orange, or green colored bike. Some reds are nice, but that's iffy. I'm all about the blacks, silvers, and blues. I mean, I wouldn't buy a crappy bike just because it was a cool color, but I couldn't buy a bike in a color that I don't like.

I absolutely love the three tones of blue in my Orbea (see sig link), which is about 30% of the reason I chose this bike. I mean, it already matches my entire cycling wardrobe which is 95% black and silvery blues.

Dianyla:

I'm with you. I've always had a thing for Blue, Black and Silver (that's even my High School Colors). Most of my jerseys are the same although some contain yellow or orange, but always surrounded by blue. The new bike which is red is pretty. It's a dark blue red not orange. I just added some Hope skewers and a Hope seat post clamp in the same red and bike looks sharp. Thankfully I ride a regular bike not a WSD version. The WSD version of the new bike is a orange-red. That would never do for me.

[Dianyla]

The new bike which is red is pretty. It's a dark blue red not orange. I just added some Hope skewers and a Hope seat post clamp in the same red and bike looks sharp. Thankfully I ride a regular bike not a WSD version. The WSD version of the new bike is a orange-red. That would never do for me.

Exactly. I definitely appreciate the cold silvery jewel tone reds, not the warm brick orangey earth reds. I'm wondering how this all ties into skin tone, too.... I'm a "winter" person.

[bcipam]

Exactly. I definitely appreciate the cold silvery jewel tone reds, not the warm brick orangey earth reds. I'm wondering how this all ties into skin tone, too.... I'm a "winter" person.

I'm "winter" as well so I tend to like the jewel (bluish) tones of all primary colors.

By the end of this year I will most likely have a new Ti road bike built. I just found out, and this breaks my heart, that Chris King no longer manufactures and sells the torquiose component set... darn! The pink is not me so guess I'll do the dark blue.

My favorite colors are indigo blue or a light silvery blue (which my guy friends call "chick blue"). My head hurts thinking of color choices and designs. Sometimes it's better when buying a production bike not to have too many choices.

[Dianyla]

By the end of this year I will most likely have a new Ti road bike built. I just found out, and this breaks my heart, that Chris King no longer manufactures and sells the torquiose component set... darn! The pink is not me so guess I'll do the dark blue.

My favorite colors are indigo blue or a light silvery blue (which my guy friends call "chick blue"). My head hurts thinking of color choices and designs. Sometimes it's better when buying a production bike not to have too many choices.

When I bought my Orbea I was also looking at the Litespeed Bella, which is a very pale silvery blue. The one I looked at had very entry-level components and didn't fit me well. But I'm sure you could order a customized one...

[ladyfish]

I had to add my first bike color story to this thread. In my house growing up, your 8th birthday meant your one and only bicycle. Now I had learned to ride a bike (2 wheels, no training wheels) when I was 4 (had older brothers--had to keep up or exceed!) so waiting until I was 8 was FOREVER.

I was (and still am) not a girly girl. In other words, I didn't like or wear girly colors. Blue was and still is my favorite color. So of course I was dreaming of a blue bike for my birthday. Unfortunately, I didn't announce this desire!

On my birthday my parents proudly presented me with a PURPLE bike! Oh the horror! I was crushed that it wasn't blue. But knowing that it was the ONLY bike they would buy me and that there was no turning back, off I went with my purple bike (we didn't have a lot of money, and I was lucky to have a new bike at all). This was one of the schwinns of the '70's with the banana seat (which was white). So I got used to and enjoyed my purple bike and rode it to school every day.

Then came the christmas a few years later. Both my brother and I needed new seats, because plastic just doesn't hold up well in the Arizona heat. So we asked for new seats for Christmas. Remember, we didn't have a lot of money, so Santa always shopped for bargains. Imagine my surprise (not a good one) when Santa brought a slime lime green banana seat. Arghhh. Not exactly a girl's dream for her PURPLE bike. Gad, that was an ugly combination.

So I guess that color really does matter. When I went shopping for my road bike (the first one I bought as an adult) you can bet it was BLUE!!! That was a great bike. Then when I bought my current bike, although I wasn't as set on a color, I knew of ones I didn't care for. And my bike is definitely not PURPLE AND SLIME LIME GREEN!!!

Do what makes you happy!!!

[bcipam]

Too funny!

[DirtDiva]

Heh. I haven't even put a bottle cage on my current bike because I think it would look bad. Just as well I already had CamelBak tendencies.

[SnappyPix]

Have decided to carry on window shopping for my next, ultimate bike - thanks for all your comments, you've made me realise that the "wow" factor IS important to me!

Regarding wearing co-ordinated clothing - I'm quite lucky because my current bike is silver, so goes with most outfits! I will admit to having developed a sock fetish though - and these absolutely MUST go with the outfit I'm wearing!
I've had to make myself stop buying socks, because they're the first thing I gravitate to in a bike shop (less dangerous than carbon frames!) and I find myself coming over all Homer Simpson-ish, whispering "Mmmmm, socks" to myself in a drooling fashion.
My favourite are a pair of Sock Guy ones which say "Your bike sucks"!!

[kjay]

Well, after decrying the fact that the Trek Pilot 2.1 is black with pink lettering, I bought it anyway. The ride is smooth and the bike fits well. I live in the Bay Area and with all the bicyclists around here, one would think that bike shops would carry quite an inventory of bikes to test ride. Not the case in my experience. Consequently, I didn't test ride that many. I went with the Pilot 2.1 because it has more carbon fiber for a smoother ride. Told myself that I simply won't look at the bike while riding it.

[DirtDiva]

I don't like my bike clothes to match too much - might make me look like I know what I'm doing, which would be false advertising.

[winddance]

My LBS was making fun of me because I refused to purchase Specialized shoes with pink accents. I just don't understand why they have to take a perfectly good shoe and make it feminine. Sure, offer it as an *option*, but I am very peeved when I go into a store looking for new clothing to buy, and all they offer for women is silvery blue, red, and black. All colors I love, but I ride an orange and yellow bike. (and I found shoes that fit better...if it's a true gear decision, I'd buy what fits and live with it.)

I think for me, it was more an issue of knowing what color I didn't want than being set on a certain color. I didn't want pink or purple or anything like that, even though I understand why someone might. Why not? I think a blue frame would've been my first choice, but the one nice thing about riding a screaming orange and yellow bike is that people can definitely see me coming!

clicky for Orbea's photo

[DirtDiva]

I've thought about getting the Spesh Riatas and colouring over the stitching with my black Sharpie... Or just jumping in a puddle of Essex mud...