Does Colour Matching Matter?

[AlanManley]

Apologies if this is in the wrong section.

How important is it to you about wearing cycling gear that matches your bikes Colour scheme?

I've recently decided to upgrade my hybrid to a road bike.. My hybrid is grey therefore goes with everything. My new road bike however is white with blue.

I have up until now been cycling in green and black. The green mainly for visobility. However I am now pondering if this would look foolish on my new bike.

Very metrosexual I know, but thought I'd see what others thoughts were on the matter.

 

[gavinfree]

Very metrosexual I know

I love that comment! For me, I don't really care about matching colors, although I'll try to avoid colors that look utterly terrible together between myself and my bicycle. I'm not judging you for caring that much about colors. It's a nice touch for everything to be matching, and I know a few people that like to do that sort of thing. My girlfriend says I'm terrible with matching outfits, anyways, so I'm the wrong person to talk about this.

 

[MotownBikeBoy]

Um. ... A lot of people will say that it's a very silly or shallow or superficial concern. After all, "fashion" is really an artificial construct - the important part is the function of the clothing, that it perform for protection, safety, and comfort.

However, I'm not among those people - in life in general, certain things are important to me, and one of them is how I dress, clean, stylish, color coordinated. I have almost 300 ties ... Probably almost that many shirts, and probably 50 suits. I like to make sure everything color coordinates when I'm going out of the house. The only time you will find me looking like a slob is when I'm doing serious heavy dirty work - fir example, just power washed and bleached decks, patios, siding and wore horrid old clothes because I get bleach spray drift.

I don't know about where you live, but here in the American Midwest, we have a great lack of sense of propriety in dress, grooming etc among the "general public" - go to any "big box" store such as a Walmart and it's often not attractive ... Especially the 300 lb women trying to dress in skimpy clothing like some young hottie.

Same sense of appearance is important to me on my bike. Luckily the bikes I ride most, hybrid and road, are both black with just a little red accent detail, so many/most color schemes work .., my winter bike is white with black accents ... Truly anything goes...

... Or can be made to work. Items like socks, jackets, gloves, and hats can be mixed and matched to make it work.

There is a lot of truth in "dress for success"

A lot of people say a lot of things. What is important to you is what matters first. Naysayers always exist to drag you down. Disregard them or they will drag you down.

 

[dabac]

I find it quietly amusing that someone with a name so close to MANLY would ask about color matching...
Anyhow, most of my rides are commutes, about 4 miles of those in dense traffic. For which I prioritize visibility. And as they are commutes, I go through a fair bit of gear in a week. Even if I'd try, I just don't have enough different outfits to manage both visibility, hygiene and color matching.
I do make an effort for races and social rides though. Particularly races.
But that's restricted to what I wear. With 3-4 bikes to alternate between, I'm too lazy to try to match the bike too.
Anyhow, unless your outfit literally smells, or represent an unsavory political opinion, any comment you receive will say more about the commenter than it will about you. Ride more, fret less

 

[CAMPYBOB]

A manly man crushes on the bike with absolutely no regard to sock height, color coordination or type of haircut...as long as it isn't both dyed AND perm'd.

But...we roadies do have rules.

Refresh your memory by cruising Velominati: http://www.velominati.com/

Rules 8, 14, 18, 21, 22, 27, 35, 36, 39 and 53 apply to those not manly enough and in search of guidance through life.

And in case you didn't know, green is the color of death, decay and sickness. Despite Europcar's transgressions, we do not own green bikes and we do nor dress in green.

 

[Froze]

I just wear whatever, I'm not out to make a fashion statement or look like a wannabe proracer (what I call a drug store racer), I'm out to ride my bike. The only jersey I have that has any print on it is one that looks like a tuxedo, I wear this when there is a big cycling event in town just for fun and people really like it.

 

[sunshiney]

I don't typically worry about matching colours, but I think that's more to do with the fact that, at this point, I'm not prepared to sink a huge amount of money into cycling. Of course there's a certain expense involved with getting a bike in the first place and maintenance and everything, but my group pretty much does everything either second hand or DIY so there's not a lot of coordinating fashion.

That being said, I think if cycling became a more serious hobby and something that I started spending more money on, I could totally see springing for matching gear. If you're going to be buying it anyway, it may as well look good!

 

[Uawadall]

I think everyone has preferences in bike appearance and look to an extent. My bike is black and white, but I always wear blue/black/white jerseys(I like blue). When I bought new tires, I got blue ones to match my apparel, blue gloves as well. If you need it anyways, why not get something that you like the look of.

 

[AlanManley]

I love that comment!

I thought I'd try to be PC.

I'm not among those people - in life in general, certain things are important to me, and one of them is how I dress, clean, stylish, color coordinated. I have almost 300 ties ... Probably almost that many shirts, and probably 50 suits. I like to make sure everything color coordinates when I'm going out of the house...
A lot of people say a lot of things. What is important to you is what matters first. Naysayers always exist to drag you down. Disregard them or they will drag you down.

A man after my own heart. Completely agree!

I find it quietly amusing that someone with a name so close to MANLY would ask about color matching...

I didn't realise wanting to look good was un-MANLY? Ibetter tell Hugh Jackman, Chris Hemsworth and the like!

I think everyone has preferences in bike appearance and look to an extent. My bike is black and white, but I always wear blue/black/white jerseys(I like blue). When I bought new tires, I got blue ones to match my apparel, blue gloves as well. If you need it anyways, why not get something that you like the look of.

I think this is also true. I wouldn't not ride just because I don't match but I prefer it if possible.

Some really varying opinions. I guess it really does just come down to personal preference rather than a generic want/need throughout the cycling communiuty.

Thanks for the answers all!

 

[swampy1970]

Do you like the colors you ride in - yes/no?

That's the only answer that matters.

Campybob says green=death but the only fully Campag equipped ProTour team rides in green. Therefore, ride Campag and you might as well be dead.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Because nothing says 'braindead shitmaNO dweeb like Ferrari, Colnago and Campagnolo...together.

Miyata...Fuji...shitmano...DOA.

 

[Corzhens]

The most popular color combination of riders here is the black and yellow green for the reflectors. Even the helmets have that black and yellow green combination. I just don't know if it's a uniform of sort but those riders I see on the road are surely not from just one group. The way I see it, the reflectorized yellow green is for safety purposes but the black, that I cannot answer although I sometimes wear dark colored clothes when I ride.

 

[swampy1970]

Because nothing says 'braindead shitmaNO dweeb like Ferrari, Colnago and Campagnolo...together.

Miyata...Fuji...shitmano...DOA.

Ferrari - made in Italy.
Colnago - made mostly somewhere in Asia.
Campag-NO-lo - made mostly in Romania by refuges skilled in the art of molding licorice.

 

[Mr. Beanz]

There was a time I cared about matching but after a while I just went bright and cheap to be seen on the roads, especially mtn roads.

 

[Volnix]

And in case you didn't know, green is the color of death, decay and sickness. Despite Europcar's transgressions, we do not own green bikes and we do nor dress in green.

Hey Kassandra... Green is my favorite color!

 

[mpre53]

I've always felt that the carpet should match the drapes, myself.

Oh wait, cycling clothes is the subject. Never mind. I just wear whetever's clean. Look, I ride a typical Cannondale with puke green as the dominant color. I'm not interested in looking like Pagliacci when I ride. Pistachio ice cream with a chocolate drizzle and a splash of whipped cream? No thanks.

 

[Susimi]

There was a time I cared about matching but after a while I just went bright and cheap to be seen on the roads, especially mtn roads.

I love the colour scheme you've got going on there. Something about the yellow and black together is just really appealing.
Love it!

Personally I'm not too bothered on colour matching and, well, I've never really thought about it. My cycling gear consists of dark jobbing bottoms and whatever top I feel like wearing that day.

 

[Froze]

There was a time I cared about matching but after a while I just went bright and cheap to be seen on the roads, especially mtn roads.

You've done exactly what I've done as well; it's the once upon a time I use to get all fancy, now I don't because I found when it came to clothing cheaper was the same, except for shorts and shoes and get everything on sale.

 

[Froze]

I've always felt that the carpet should match the drapes, myself.

Oh wait, cycling clothes is the subject. Never mind. I just wear whetever's clean. Look, I ride a typical Cannondale with puke green as the dominant color. I'm not interested in looking like Pagliacci when I ride. Pistachio ice cream with a chocolate drizzle and a splash of whipped cream? No thanks.

LOL!! this is great!

 

[CAMPYBOB]

shitmaNO: Made in Communist China. By Commies. That wear green.

Quote by Volnix:
"Green is my favorite color!"

No wonder you crash so often!

Say! Wasn't that blood-stained jersey a...GREEN one?

You and Swami can't BOTH be brain dead, can you?

NO GREEN! It's the color of death, decay, sickness AND shitmaNO!