BrockLee

Why oh why haven't major bike manufacturers figured out that we'd like to choose from more than 2 colors for any particular bike? The 2015 Giant Escape 1 comes in exactly ONE color. The 2015 Trek 7.3 FX comes in... wait for it... TWO colors. The 2015 Jamis Hudson Sport Deluxe also comes in only two colors. I know this because I recently bought those bikes.

When are bicycle manufacturers going to figure out that we want a better color selection? Sheesh. Nike and other companies let you customize your shoes online. Trek and Jamis and Giant (and surely every other bike maker) don't even let us pick the base color of a new bike! C'mon now. I want a 7.3 FX that fades from light blue to dark navy from the front of the frame to the rear.

I feel better now that I've vented. Thank you.

MRT2

Trek has such a program, but they charge accordingly. Custom Project One collection - Trek Bicycle

Grey.

They've already "figured it out", the color selection or rather the lack there of is a deliberate marketing strategy. Typically, bikes in the same product group don't change much year-to-year and offering a limited color selection is one of the ways to make new models desireable for repeat customers by having colors you couldn't get last year. If they just made everything available from the start they'd have less incentives to offer. All bike manufacturers do this.

Some colors are also regional. The 7.4 FX is available in 5 colors but only 2 are able to be ordered in the U.S while other regions get all 5, and again this is a delibrate choice.

Now, if you're simply arguing that Trek's color choices arn't exotic enough for you that's entirely down to preference, I for one am not a fan of flamboyant bicycles. The Project One program mentioned by MRT2 is an option for those who want to spend the money, or you can look at other brands.

AU Tiger

Usually that only happens when sales drop. As long as the product is selling, manufacturers will generally come to the conclusion they are producing what the customers want.

jt02gt

Customization costs $$$ both from a manufacturing standpoint and sales. Bicycle manufacturers like any business try to maximize profits so the company can survive and thrive. Go get an estimate of that super cool paint job you want to get and see what they tell you. I'll bet you would be quite shocked.

LesterOfPuppets

Seems like one or two color options is plenty for a mid-range bike.

Giant did have 170 models to choose from in 2014 compared to 22 in 1994, so there are now probably more color choices overall than there were back then.

LesterOfPuppets

I don't think any company is gonna wanna supply 170 models x 5 sizes x 4 colors. Woah. 3400 SKUs.

BrockLee

Right. I'm aware of this. But this 'program' is only for their top end bikes and those who have a doctor's salary. As of yet I'm not Dr. Brock Lee, PHD.

BrockLee

It seems that I'm alone in this desire to see bikes in more colors. And so I weep.

dynaryder

Here you go:
Spray Paint | DIY, Craft & Professional Spray Paint Products | Krylon

Any color you want. Also Gunkote,Camo-Form,and duct tape.

edit: frakking censor. replace splats in url with gee yew en.

LesterOfPuppets

Oh, I like colors. There have been WAY too many red/black/white bikes this millennium. I just buy olde bikes with purty paint. I also have a blue cruiser, which could use new paint, a boring pewter bike a road bike that's raw steel, etc.

I'm hoping to get a ROYGBIV collection eventually.

yashinon

yashinon

Even better when a LBS tries to sell you what they have left over in stock with words like - "this bike won't be around that long".

ColonelSanders

That is a beautiful colour for a bike.

marimorimo

I like color too! I was sorely disappointed when shopping for my bike, a Trek 7.4 FX WSD that only comes in ONE color in my country. Fortunately it had bright accents (to make it "girly" enough) and the silver color was quite nice so I didn't mind it. The men's version only come in white, black, and a shade of green I don't like and if I had to settle for that I would have been quite unhappy.

When I get my road bike, I'm planning to get a custom cro-moly painted in either metallic orange, metallic blue, metallic yellow, or metallic red. Yup, I like my bikes to stand out

Little Darwin

The only color I( tend to see on a bike when I am riding is the handlebar, stem and grips. I can easily change those. When not in use, my bike is not typically sitting in front of me, so it doesn't matter then either.

However, I also wish there was a little more excitement in bicycle colors. The mathematics of it though is that a bike shop can only order so many bikes, and when you figure that many shops carry a couple of brands, and several bikes of each brand in a few different sizes, it is difficult to also offer a consistent variety of colors.

fietsbob

Batch color jobs from Asian contract Manufacturers are part of getting the cost down .. maybe next years bike will be a different color..

or tear it down and Hire a custom paint job .. the fade job should be a couple hundred in Imron.

quicktrigger

You arent the only one. I flat refuse to settle for dull crap colors. This crap of spend $1000-2000 or more, for dull crap colors is BS. Spend that and then have it repainted??? How about not buy the crap in the first place. As I have typed before, Kona has bright colors, but only one or two per model. Trek is just dull. Btw, Bikes Direct send me an email today of a new 2016 Roadie that has choice of three metal flake color combos that are gorgeous. Hopefully that will continue with the rest. And then the others turn around and whine and moan about BD, but offer the same black and gray. With everything computerize, JIT delivery, more choice in color is not a real problem. Hell Lowes will custom mix any color you like, match any color you like due to this computerized delivery. Bike companies can do better. End of story. Adapt or die.

And FTR, have have not settled for dull on any of the three brand new bikes I have bought in the last six months. My bikes are Cyan Blue Sirrus, Lime Green Motobecane, and a bright traffice cone Orange Allez. But to be fair the Allez is a one of a kind in the US, but that doesnt change the fact that it exists, I bought it, and never would never had considered it if i were gray or black (cough.....Trek). Dont settle. If people dont like that, well too freakin bad.

QT

yuoil 

Yea, it's a cost thing. They don't make the bikes to order. They make them ten thousand at a time. Also, if they get a unpopular color that bike might be stuck in the brand's warehouses for two or three years on clearance because no LBSes are selling them and thus not ordering them. The LBS doesn't have to get 5 of each color. I think a lot of them go off what they think they can sell so they get 5 black ones 5 blue ones and 1-2 of the less common colors. Too bad too because I too wish there was more color.

I think the manufacturers typically go with the most safe colors based on market research. They probably poll 1000 people of their target demographic and take the top two. If you look at any brand they reuse the same ten or so colors throughout their whole lineup. They just vary base, accent, etc. Also, I'm sure there are lots of bikes upsold on color. If you don't like that basic silver and the next model is upgrades AND metallic blue, maybe that's worth $150.

Now that a lot of brands have women specific lines though, there are more colors showing up. Maybe they'll add more colors to the main lines because of it.

Trakhak

In the 1960s and 1970s, Peugeot produced the U0-8 in four sizes and in black, white, blue, red, yellow, orange, and green (and maybe a couple of other colors I've forgotten).

At the other end of the scale, in the early 1980s, Torpados were briefly imported in one color per model but in 1-cm frame size increments from 49 cm to 63 cm, ensuring as perfect a fit as you could get without ordering a bike from a custom frame builder.

Bike companies do what they do to stay afloat in a highly competitive market.

quicktrigger

Because IT IS a highly competitive market, they need to do something to differentiate themselves. Not allot separates most bikes in a general price range. They use basically the same components, have small geometry changes, and a different name on the frame. Other than a occasionally different color????

Solution is to ship the frames unpainted, paint on a central automated line (automated paint booths are not un-common and could be done on contract basis). Many industries do this. Bikes can do it too.

QT

quicktrigger

The fact that WS bikes ship in much smaller numbers, but have many more color choices demonstrates without a doubt that bike companies can do better. If they were losing so much money doing this, then few or no brands would be offering such. But in reality, the companies think that many persons buying these bikes are more influenced by appearance than their standard bike counter-parts. Therefore they offer more and brighter colors to a much smaller market. The reality is that they think they don't offer more, because they know many people will just settle.

Side note. Specialized "Pitch" line while offering typically only 2 colors per model, are not your standard black or grey.

QT

BrockLee

That's a pity. We're talking about a large corporation here. I'm sure Nike has many more SKUs than 3400.

BrockLee

Agreed. They need to turn over inventory and we need a good bike. This is something we gotta be aware of, much like at a car dealership.

BrockLee

That may be the solution. Surely bike manufacturers have considered stuff like this. The point is; IT CAN BE DONE. And it should be done. When we make enough of a stink about it they will do it.