Black Rant
 

Hey I'm 69 so I understand that styles come and go and they have to....otherwise manufacturers and merchants wouldn't have anything to sell. Most things are sold not because we need them but because we're convinced a "new one is better". I understand that. Still, I want to say how much I don't like this trend of Flat or Satin black paint on the frame and worse yet...all the components. Everything a dull black. Looks horrible to me. There are plenty of examples on this forum but I don't wish to offend anyone. New bikes today are head and shoulders better than what most of us on this forum grew up with. But...I NEED SOME COLOR! And I want to see some Silver components as well.

Oh, AND GET OFF MY LAWN!

I'm with you. I'm a classic & vintage bike fan, and you can find me hanging out in the C&V section of bikeforums. I like colored frames and silver components.

I love the look of a flat black carbon frame, all black components (Shimano 105 is, or was black) with deep dish black carbon wheels.

Just looks fast and mean. Kudo's if there's a muted black log on the DT.

I never really liked the red, blue, white, green paint jobs on lugged Italian and hate the Bianchi Celeste color, just hate it.

I have a white Soma Smoothie and got the matching white steel fork with it, didn't like the black carbon look with that. White is a PITA to keep clean so I don't.

But to each his own.

Hey, you can't really see the color when you're riding it anyway. But I think I only like that much stealth on a fighter plane or bomber.
I used to really hate Celeste. But all of a sudden it just started to appeal to me. I think that may have been in the 90s when Bianchi actually changed the shade of Celeste. I believe over the decades the shade has changed several times. Probably there is a Bianchi specialist somewhere on this forum who actually knows how often and why? Interesting from a marketing standpoint?

I'm with you. Black murdered-out bikes.....black spokes. Not safe IMO. Or should I say not as safe as natural stainless spokes and white or colored bike frames.
You can love your flat black carbon bikes all day long, but they are hard to see on the road.
White bikes don't look dirty, they are easier to keep clean.

Smoore, go ahead and offend.

Black goes with everything. If you want color, you can always accessorize. I'll take a black bike any day.

+1

I'm 67, and can't stand the look of bicycles (or kit) that look like they've been attacked by a box of crayons.

Black bikes are like purple hair. Once in a great while it actually looks good.

I have a matte black Ridley with white Ridley emblems everywhere, along with Hed Ardennes wheels with white lettering. I think it looks like a rolling billboard, but it rides really well, and that's why I have it.

On the other hand, another rider told me it was the coolest bike he'd seen. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Nah...we're all friends here. As long as you're riding....it's all good. Unless of course you are wearing your bibs OVER your jersey. :)

I hear that's how they roll in the south
It's acceptable as long as you don't wear a belt

I like splatter paint and homebrewed pop-art schemes. Gimme a matte black bike and some metallic paint markers and I'll do it myself. I'm thinking something in a nice paisley.

I don't mind so much the black frames ... but the all black kits? Aye aye aye. I know that black hides the pounds, but there are functional issues (heat, visibility) with that.

I'd only go for black carbon if you can see the weave... But, even that is a bit passe.

They're cheaper to manufacture that way - instead of a blemish-free high polish, the parts are finished in a way that surface roughness and imperfections can't be seen. I know at least one manufacturer charges a premium for the less expensive parts which is simultaneously brilliant and abhorrent.

Well, stick an onion in your belt and yell at some clouds!

I really don't care. My current bike is black with day glow green highlights, which I don't really care for, but not enough to change it. last bike was silver, bike before that was black.

I care more for the ride than I do about the color.

Both of my bikes are black (one gloss and one matte,) and my wife's bike is black. None of those were by choice. My frameset previous to the black was red, and that was also not by choice. In those model years, those were the choices.

I repainted the red bike (I really did not want red) but with the others I just accessorize to put some color on it. I also don't want all black-on-black-on-black. Boring.

Of course, the model year after both of my respective bikes, one went from matte black to blaze orange in 2018, to highlighter yellow in 2019, and the other one... yep, still black. Henry Ford'd over there.

But to be completely honest, while I don't have strong feelings toward black bikes in general, I think I still would have gone with the black over orange or yellow. I can put whatever tape, saddle, cables, etc. on a black bike. Highlighter yellow kinda limits the options.

I couldn't have said it better.

I prefer satin anodized or polished metal that's not colored myself. Chrome lugs and dropouts are sweet too. When it comes to the frame I like a gloss finish. I do have black calipers, headset and rims (original) on my Trek 460 and they look good against the lipstick red frame.

I can put up with most colors - my first serious road bike was only available in the color I didn't want but it's still a joyful ride a few decades later.

Bikes are like personalities ... it would suck if all were the same. Vive la difference.

Also not a fan,

but at least black is the actual color of carbon fiber, so there is some integrity there,

& possibly some weight savings in paint.

I personally can't wait for the matte paint fad to be over. Black, grey, or anything else. I understand that people like it and companies need to offer it, but with so many bikes, that is all you can get. I'm normally a function over form kind of guy, but when I'm in the market for a new bike, It's going to be very difficult for me to consider a matte finish anything.

Here you go....

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bd79d82980.jpg

One-of-a-kind, custom mix of Zombie Green and Gloss White Cerakote ceramic glaze.

Colors come and they go. The fact that you are posting this makes me think the black phrase has peaked. It will be interesting to see what comes next.

That's beautiful!

Thanks. After its maiden voyage of 12 miles home the LBS where it was built. Frame designed and built, and headset, hubs, stem, bars, seatpost and bottle cages manufactured, in the U.S. Going custom is fun. My previous road bike was an Independent Fabrication.

My Pants I wear on the bike are matching the smudge I may get off the Chain,
That Stuff is Black.