ceelint

Curious how to guys feel on matching components. Would Record Pista cranks look odd with DA-7600 hubs on the same bike?

seau grateau

Campy Pista cranks look ugly on pretty much every bike. It doesn't matter at all though unless you're the most anal of purists. I'd rather have non-matching components that are all what I want, rather than compromising so they can all have matching logos.

Mikefule

It's a matter of personal taste and priorities. I don't set up my bike with the intention of it looking good or impressing anyone else, although I would not want it to look "obviously wrong". My main priority is that it is fun to ride, and reliable. If someone commented to me that my cranks did not match my hubs, I would think they were drifting through life with no real sense of purpose and had too much time on their hands. But then, I come from a generation that remembers bikes as being cheap, simple and fun.

ThermionicScott 

Man, Campy Pista never really made it out of the C-Record era, did it?

seau grateau

Pretty much. I think I saw a Cinelli Laser with them once where they looked right.

Maslin

Never bothers me, the only matching components on my LeMond are the brakes and bars, and they’re FSA

TugaDude

My rule of thumb is not that components necessarily "match" but that they "complement" each other. There are ways to mix-and-match sometimes where intellectually you think it shouldn't look right but, dang, that looks cool. So yes it is a matter of taste and preference but it is fun to play with various combinations and develop your own style. Those who have full parts bins have an advantage because you can move stuff from box to bike and vice-versa.

I have an All City Big Block that has silver cranks and hubs while everything up top is black. The headset, stem and seatpost are all Ritchey and it "works" for my tastes.

Dressing your ride is a fun way to express your creativity.

shmuelyosef

I like some coherence, but I'm not compulsive. I do tend to match up stem and handlebars from the same vendor as they are easier to fit generally (Cinelli is the extreme example). Same with transmissions...front/rear DRs and shifters. Seems funny to put index shifters on an old 5-speed...

hardboiled718

I spend more time riding my bike then looking at it so I'm really not to concerned with matching parts. I've acquired parts based on availability, quality, and budget (not in that particular order).

I do appreciate a nice bike with matching parts and see some pretty awesome bikes on this forum. But, for me personally it's just not a priority currently. Until I stumble upon a pile of cash my bike remains somewhat of a mishmash.

veganbikes

I like my bikes to look good. If things need to match to look good great, if not no worries. Generally I choose components that work really well for what I need.

KraneXL

It don't have to match but it can be complementary. I would never us too opposing color schemes. I find it highly disturbing that Planet Fitness doesn't use capitals in there mission statement and text.

Caliper

I like matching components in general and will try to do that when setting up a bike. But, if the mismatched parts are functional, how much I care diminishes with each mile ridden.

bgolda

With so few parts on a FG, I think you have the option of going with best of breed (which you can afford) or most aesthetically pleasing (to you). Either way, they should have coherence.

EnzoRWD

Record pista cranks and low-flange DA hubs: