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Black Rant

Old 10-31-18, 03:26 PM
  #1  
smoore
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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!
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Old 10-31-18, 04:16 PM
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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.
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Old 10-31-18, 05:13 PM
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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.
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Old 10-31-18, 05:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve B.
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?
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Old 10-31-18, 05:59 PM
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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.
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Old 10-31-18, 06:51 PM
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Black goes with everything. If you want color, you can always accessorize. I'll take a black bike any day.
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Old 10-31-18, 06:54 PM
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Originally Posted by KraneXL
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.
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Old 10-31-18, 07:07 PM
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I just know that someday, when I’m just a bit older, I’ll suddenly “get” that those lugged Italian things, are really beautiful and will suddenly find myself with a lust. Going to be expensive I suspect.
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Old 10-31-18, 07:08 PM
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Black bikes are like purple hair. Once in a great while it actually looks good.
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Old 10-31-18, 07:22 PM
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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.
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Old 10-31-18, 07:39 PM
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Originally Posted by trailangel
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.

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.
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Old 10-31-18, 07:44 PM
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I hear that's how they roll in the south
It's acceptable as long as you don't wear a belt

Last edited by trailangel; 11-01-18 at 08:18 AM.
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Old 10-31-18, 08:48 PM
  #13  
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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.
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Old 10-31-18, 11:05 PM
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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.
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Old 10-31-18, 11:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve B.
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.
I'd only go for black carbon if you can see the weave... But, even that is a bit passe.
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Old 11-01-18, 04:56 AM
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Originally Posted by smoore
worse yet...all the components. Everything a dull black.
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.
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Old 11-01-18, 07:23 AM
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Old 11-01-18, 07:30 AM
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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.
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Old 11-01-18, 07:30 AM
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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.
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Old 11-01-18, 07:42 AM
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Originally Posted by jon c.
Black bikes are like purple hair. Once in a great while it actually looks good.
I couldn't have said it better.
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Old 11-01-18, 07:53 AM
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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.
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Old 11-01-18, 08:46 AM
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Bikes are like personalities ... it would suck if all were the same. Vive la difference.
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Old 11-01-18, 10:18 AM
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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.
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Old 11-01-18, 10:34 AM
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#BlackBikesMatter
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Old 11-01-18, 11:02 AM
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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.
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