Why do bicycles generally come in so few colorways?
10-25-18, 12:59 PM
#51
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The issue is the need to hold down the number of SKUs. Bicycles are low margin. Brands want economies of scale, and shops want few enough options to have a prayer of stocking them.
I've grown fond of neutral colors like black and grey. Then I add my own colors in the form of pedals, grips, bars, etc.
I've grown fond of neutral colors like black and grey. Then I add my own colors in the form of pedals, grips, bars, etc.
10-25-18, 04:41 PM
#52
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I'm really trying to keep the bike costs under $1,000 so that I will still be able to afford some other things I need to buy for my kit. I haven't really seen any options in this department under ~$1,200 but if there's something I overlooked I'd be open to looking into it.
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Last edited by shoota; 10-25-18 at 04:57 PM.
10-25-18, 10:32 PM
#53
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If your willing to wait a little bit, and get a little higher end of a bike most manufactures let you "customize" a bike in a variety of colors that fits the paint design. Orbea offers the "My O" free of charge if you start with their mid level bikes. IE: the Avant-m30team-d-19 or the Orca M30-Pro 19.
I have not gone through the processes yet, but I do have a variety of color schemes saved on their site when I get the opportunity to get a new bike lol.
I have not gone through the processes yet, but I do have a variety of color schemes saved on their site when I get the opportunity to get a new bike lol.
10-25-18, 11:24 PM
#55
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(in re:"colorway")
The word seems to have been invented about 1940, and comes from art, fashion, advertising. "Livery" is way more common and older, and used for uniforms, aircraft, and race cars. The latter seems like it should have stuck.
The word seems to have been invented about 1940, and comes from art, fashion, advertising. "Livery" is way more common and older, and used for uniforms, aircraft, and race cars. The latter seems like it should have stuck.
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10-29-18, 03:03 PM
#56
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I hear you!! Such boring colors. Mine is a raspberry red now but I almost long for it to get scratched up so I can paint it a bike of many colors. LOL I actually took the plastic cover off a bike helmet and did the dip dye thing to it. I loved the effect. Wonder just how tough it would be to do the same with the bike frame..... Course since I only have the one bike it would cut into my riding time....
10-29-18, 03:57 PM
#57
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10-29-18, 07:23 PM
#58
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Rossin
Rossin. Probably from the late 1980s. No doubt influenced by Cyndi Lauper's hair.
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10-30-18, 12:09 AM
#59
Member
Powder Coating is your friend
I come from a background of competitive paintball. It's a flashy sport that enjoys it's bright colors as much as cyclists seem to do.
What confuses me about switching over to cycling is the extreme lack of color options when buying a bike of any quality. Whether you're getting a $500 bike or a $5000 bike you're probably only going to be offered 1-2 (MAYBE 3) options. Now that might make sense for professionally sponsored riders who most likely get custom wraps/paint to match a team or sponsor but I'm confused as to how this is justified for mid-range and "low-end" bikes.
To clarify, in paintball you're hard pressed to find a marker at any price point that isn't released in 5-10 new colorways every single year. These are from smaller companies, selling items of roughly the same value, and with what I am assuming is much less overhead while operating in a much smaller market.
In a market where everything "looks the same" you would think that companies would be doing everything in their power to differentiate from their competitors.
Is there something I'm missing or is this a common complaint shared by others in the industry?
Also, if you're going to make some ridiculous comment about how I shouldn't be worried about the color of my bike or paintball marker then just go ahead and hit the back button lol. I know it doesn't make me a better player/rider and you're not enlightening or impressing anyone with yourwisdom rhetoric.
What confuses me about switching over to cycling is the extreme lack of color options when buying a bike of any quality. Whether you're getting a $500 bike or a $5000 bike you're probably only going to be offered 1-2 (MAYBE 3) options. Now that might make sense for professionally sponsored riders who most likely get custom wraps/paint to match a team or sponsor but I'm confused as to how this is justified for mid-range and "low-end" bikes.
To clarify, in paintball you're hard pressed to find a marker at any price point that isn't released in 5-10 new colorways every single year. These are from smaller companies, selling items of roughly the same value, and with what I am assuming is much less overhead while operating in a much smaller market.
In a market where everything "looks the same" you would think that companies would be doing everything in their power to differentiate from their competitors.
Is there something I'm missing or is this a common complaint shared by others in the industry?
Also, if you're going to make some ridiculous comment about how I shouldn't be worried about the color of my bike or paintball marker then just go ahead and hit the back button lol. I know it doesn't make me a better player/rider and you're not enlightening or impressing anyone with your
I keep Prismatic Powders in business.
10-30-18, 12:15 AM
#60
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I bought my bike in slightly-neon orange with yellow decals... last year. The same bike for 2019 has a more Halloween shade. I ordered through REI and walked past a charcoal forest of Cannondales and Ghosts to pick it up
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10-30-18, 01:23 AM
#61
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10-30-18, 07:55 AM
#62
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The issue is the need to hold down the number of SKUs. Bicycles are low margin. Brands want economies of scale, and shops want few enough options to have a prayer of stocking them.
I've grown fond of neutral colors like black and grey. Then I add my own colors in the form of pedals, grips, bars, etc.
I've grown fond of neutral colors like black and grey. Then I add my own colors in the form of pedals, grips, bars, etc.
It's also specifically a matter of keeping the cost of the frame down. If the bike manufacturer is shooting for a particular price point for the entire bike, it's pretty obvious they'll find more people attracted to the quality of the components than the color of the frame, so color variety is where you'd cut corners first.
I have no doubt that multiple SKUs have distribution costs that would have to be recouped in the sale price, but multiple painting lines for the same frame has to increase production costs as well.
10-30-18, 11:29 AM
#63
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@Smokeage If you wanna DIY there's the Spray.Bike paint which is made specifically for bikes. They're used by squid.bikes to make some really interesting paint schemes.
, and before I dive back in, just wanted to say thank you. So, thank you. 
10-30-18, 01:57 PM
#65
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07-02-19, 10:48 AM
#66
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We all know who said "You can have any color you want, so long as it's black". For retailers (LBS), you will get customers who, when given a choice of colors will want the one you don't have in stock and will not buy any. They will expect the LBS to get one "now" despite the much higher shipping cost for just 1 bike vs a truck load. My brother used to work for that Wisconsin company and he reported they monitored sales of each color and if a model didn't sell well in a particular color, they would switch to another mid season.
An earlier post mentioned the need to blend in. That is real everywhere. IMO, flashy bikes are more theft prone. I got a new yellow bike and it was stolen in just days despite being locked up where my previous grey bike was for years. And then there is Tom Justice, the bicycling 26 times bank robber who only got caught because he rode a distinctive bike to/from the heists.
Different SKU's means you can have different prices for different colors. wallyworld does just that for the Mongoose Beast. Why? Because they can.
An earlier post mentioned the need to blend in. That is real everywhere. IMO, flashy bikes are more theft prone. I got a new yellow bike and it was stolen in just days despite being locked up where my previous grey bike was for years. And then there is Tom Justice, the bicycling 26 times bank robber who only got caught because he rode a distinctive bike to/from the heists.
Different SKU's means you can have different prices for different colors. wallyworld does just that for the Mongoose Beast. Why? Because they can.
07-02-19, 12:19 PM
#67
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black is a fine color, easy to touch up and isn't very offensive to most. If color is your thing pony up for custom paint. In general the color is the last thing I worry about when buying a bike. I want the stuff on it to be a priority then I find a color I can live with or even like. black usually fits the bill for me.
I have always wanted a white bike, I like the color. It was a struggle to find a frame from the brand I wanted to get a white frame. It was so worth the hunt though!
I have always wanted a white bike, I like the color. It was a struggle to find a frame from the brand I wanted to get a white frame. It was so worth the hunt though!
07-02-19, 12:32 PM
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If it fits, consider the women's specific design. Usually a more interesting color palette.
07-02-19, 04:43 PM
#69
Senior Member
Two very fine painters now working would be velocolour.com in Toronto and velociao.com in Berlin. Paintwork and bike builds by Chris Howard of cycloretro.com in Melbourne. Check their galleries and see some paint.
Good paint costs money. The industry as a whole is struggling. Bean counters are to the fore. Customers are reliably boring and compliant with boring.
Good paint costs money. The industry as a whole is struggling. Bean counters are to the fore. Customers are reliably boring and compliant with boring.
07-02-19, 05:03 PM
#70
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It's remarkable that an outfit like Ribble can build this into the regular way to order a bike (along with lots of component and wheel options etc), and the large companies can't. 4 finishes, 14 base frame colors, gradients, plus 3 accent color areas, etc..
07-02-19, 08:48 PM
#71
Senior Member
Looking at something like the Specialized Sirrus line, the shop only need stock a few models, as the frame geometry will be the same.
We just need Specialized to have more colours that the shop can order in for someone who has done a test ride on a black Sirrus and feels that a Sirrus works for them.
We just need Specialized to have more colours that the shop can order in for someone who has done a test ride on a black Sirrus and feels that a Sirrus works for them.
07-02-19, 09:21 PM
#72
Banned
C,O.S.T. Cost ....want to pay a lot more? stocking multiple sizes in many colors is Expensive ..
buy it, strip it , pay some one to repaint it, then put it back together..
buy it, strip it , pay some one to repaint it, then put it back together..
Last edited by fietsbob; 07-02-19 at 09:28 PM.
