Does Color / Finish Matter?

[Captain]

What Color or Finish would you choose for a brand new bike / trike ?
Do you think Color or Finish has a functional purpose ? Would you
choose a bright color to be more visible to cars or a multi- color
paint job in a custom motif ? If cost wasn't a factor - what would
your "Ultimate Finish" be ? Include wheels & seats in your schemes !

 

[Fred]

"Captain" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> What Color or Finish would you choose for a brand new bike / trike ?
> Do you think Color or Finish has a functional purpose ? Would you
> choose a bright color to be more visible to cars or a multi- color
> paint job in a custom motif ? If cost wasn't a factor - what would
> your "Ultimate Finish" be ? Include wheels & seats in your schemes !

To answer the question in your subject line: It's an individual thing - but
your bike will 'go much better' if you like the look of it.
>

 

[[email protected]]

Red is fastest 8^)

Jeff

 

[RonSonic]

On 21 Apr 2006 23:30:41 -0700, "Captain" <[email protected]> wrote:

>What Color or Finish would you choose for a brand new bike / trike ?
>Do you think Color or Finish has a functional purpose ? Would you
>choose a bright color to be more visible to cars or a multi- color
>paint job in a custom motif ? If cost wasn't a factor - what would
>your "Ultimate Finish" be ? Include wheels & seats in your schemes !

Anything that impresses / intimidates my competition.

Ron

 

[di]

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Red is fastest 8^)
>
> Jeff


That's been proven time and time again in this NG, it must be true.

 

[Matt O'Toole]

On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 23:30:41 -0700, Captain wrote:

> What Color or Finish would you choose for a brand new bike / trike ?
> Do you think Color or Finish has a functional purpose ? Would you
> choose a bright color to be more visible to cars or a multi- color
> paint job in a custom motif ? If cost wasn't a factor - what would
> your "Ultimate Finish" be ? Include wheels & seats in your schemes !

I know from experience and observation that yellow frames are very
visible. A couple of years ago I had a yellow frame that people said
could be seen from a long way away. It was a normal primary yellow, not
fluorescent, but any fluorescent color should be very visible too.

As far as paint goes, polyurethane such as Imron is very durable, and
repairable too. It's also the most expensive. Next would be powder coat,
which is harder and even more durable than polyurethane, but not
really repairable.

My favorite is bare, brushed Ti, which has an elegant, low-key appearance,
is corrosion proof, and any scratches can be buffed out.

For parts, I prefer polished aluminum to black anodizing or paint. Silver
doesn't show scratches, and can be buffed out if needed. Black parts like
cranks tend to look shabby after a few years.

Matt O.

 

[Captain]

Here's proof from a journal published in Evanston, Illinois -- home of
Northwestern University. It couldn't be published if it wasn't true

Interesting: What if a trike / bike were painted Ultra Violet ? From
another Journal:

Physical Ultra-violet has a chemical and bacteriocidal action on the
blood and tissues of the body. It breaks down the bacterial toxins and
helps the white blood cells in their phagocytic action.

Ultra-violet's chemical reaction depends upon its vitamin reaction in
the system. Vitamins A, B, C, D and E are affected by the ultra-violet
light.

Ultra-violet plays a great part in the calcium phosphorus balance and
in iron and iodine fixation.

Ultra-violet accelerates the lymphatic and circulatory activities.

Ultra-violet normalizes all metabolism and glandular activities.

Ultra-violet stimulates antibody production and immunizes the body
against disease.

Ultra-violet has a stimulating action on the Sympathetic System. It,
however, acts as a sedative to pain.

Ultra-violet is good for the heart and the lungs.

 

[Captain]

Here's proof from a journal published in Evanston, Illinois -- home of
Northwestern University. It couldn't be published if it wasn't true

Interesting: What if a trike / bike were painted Ultra Violet ? From
another Journal:

Physical Ultra-violet has a chemical and bacteriocidal action on the
blood and tissues of the body. It breaks down the bacterial toxins and
helps the white blood cells in their phagocytic action.

Ultra-violet's chemical reaction depends upon its vitamin reaction in
the system. Vitamins A, B, C, D and E are affected by the ultra-violet
light.

Ultra-violet plays a great part in the calcium phosphorus balance and
in iron and iodine fixation.

Ultra-violet accelerates the lymphatic and circulatory activities.

Ultra-violet normalizes all metabolism and glandular activities.

Ultra-violet stimulates antibody production and immunizes the body
against disease.

Ultra-violet has a stimulating action on the Sympathetic System. It,
however, acts as a sedative to pain.

Ultra-violet is good for the heart and the lungs.

 

[Claire Petersky]

"Matt O'Toole" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 23:30:41 -0700, Captain wrote:

> I know from experience and observation that yellow frames are very
> visible. A couple of years ago I had a yellow frame that people said
> could be seen from a long way away.

My bike is supposedly "mango", but it's really warning sign yellow. I picked
that color not just because I'm fond of orangey-yellow, but also because I
thought it'd be highly visible. More visible, at least, than some of the
greens I was looking at, too.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

 

[Ted]

Celeste (Bianchi...it is a cult thing)

Ted.

 

[Mike Rice]

On Sun, 23 Apr 2006 00:57:49 GMT, "Claire Petersky"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>"Matt O'Toole" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news[email protected]...
>> On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 23:30:41 -0700, Captain wrote:
>
>> I know from experience and observation that yellow frames are very
>> visible. A couple of years ago I had a yellow frame that people said
>> could be seen from a long way away.
>
>My bike is supposedly "mango", but it's really warning sign yellow. I picked
>that color not just because I'm fond of orangey-yellow, but also because I
>thought it'd be highly visible. More visible, at least, than some of the
>greens I was looking at, too.

Sorry I can't cite the source, but years ago I read that the human eye
responds to yellow faster than other colors.

Indiana Mike

 

[RonSonic]

Mountain bike in deep cherry red to atomic pineapple fade in pearl.

Any crazed painters out there?

Ron

 

[Edward Dolan]

"Mike Rice" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> On Sun, 23 Apr 2006 00:57:49 GMT, "Claire Petersky"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>"Matt O'Toole" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news[email protected]...
>>> On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 23:30:41 -0700, Captain wrote:
>>
>>> I know from experience and observation that yellow frames are very
>>> visible. A couple of years ago I had a yellow frame that people said
>>> could be seen from a long way away.
>>
>>My bike is supposedly "mango", but it's really warning sign yellow. I
>>picked
>>that color not just because I'm fond of orangey-yellow, but also because I
>>thought it'd be highly visible. More visible, at least, than some of the
>>greens I was looking at, too.
>
> Sorry I can't cite the source, but years ago I read that the human eye
> responds to yellow faster than other colors.
>
> Indiana Mike

When I was a kid all the fire engines were painted red. Now some are painted
yellow. I note that all school buses are also painted yellow. I think we can
conclude from this that yellow is the most visible color to the human eye.

Regards,

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota

 

[[email protected]]

Mike Rice <[email protected]> wrote:

> Sorry I can't cite the source, but years ago I read that the human eye
> responds to yellow faster than other colors.

IIRC, in Germany many of the letter carriers ride bikes, and their
bikes are always yellow.

And we had a thread on this NG not long ago which concluded that TDF
racers don't stop to go potty, preferring instead just to let to as they
ride. Which would explain why all the TDF bikes are yellow.
But really, it's not about appearance, it's about aerodynamics. A
slicker bike will slide through the air faster. That's why I coat my bike
with vaseline. I've increased my average speed from 12.32245 to 12.32246
mph.
And anyway, I had some leftover vaseline lying around...


Bill (GD&R)


__o | More people object to wearing fur than leather because it is
_`\(,_ | safer to harrass rich white women than motorcycle gangs.
(_)/ (_) |

 

[di]

"Edward Dolan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>. I think we can conclude from this that yellow is the most visible color
>to the human eye.
>
> Regards,
>
> Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota


It's White

 

[Chris Z The Wheelman]

My Tourer used to be wood-grained (I called it "pre-processed
carbonfiber), except for the rear stays and fork tips. It was a rose
color before that and is now purple.

Being a tourist, speed was never that much of an issue to me, but I did
seem to notice a slight improvement in climbing avbility in the
wood-grain motif.

Course, I was rading a lot more then too...

- -
Comments and opinions compliments of,
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

My web Site:
http://geocities.com/czcorner

To E-mail me:
ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net

 

[Eric]

Ted Wrote: "Celeste (Bianchi...it is a cult thing) "

You have no idea how close I came to buying a Bianchi just because of
the color. Retro and modern at the same time. I decided that it really
said "steal me" better than any other, and went with something else.

Eric

 

[Tom Keats]

In article <[email protected]>,
Matt O'Toole <[email protected]> writes:

> I know from experience and observation that yellow frames are very
> visible. A couple of years ago I had a yellow frame that people said
> could be seen from a long way away. It was a normal primary yellow, not
> fluorescent, but any fluorescent color should be very visible too.

I've read some back country cycle tourist/campers recommending
bright colours and especially recommending against green.
The reasoning is: a green bike might be hard to find if it's
been parked or stashed among bushes.


cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

 

[St.John]

Black.
if cost was no issue the i'd get Mike LeValley to paint on flames.
that guy painted a Hellicopter, and one time, when it landed in the
airport, someone called the fire department. they're that real looking.
but that's a little unreasonable.

 

[Mike Kruger]

"Tom Keats" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Matt O'Toole <[email protected]> writes:
>
>> I know from experience and observation that yellow frames are very
>> visible. A couple of years ago I had a yellow frame that people said
>> could be seen from a long way away. It was a normal primary yellow, not
>> fluorescent, but any fluorescent color should be very visible too.
>
> I've read some back country cycle tourist/campers recommending
> bright colours and especially recommending against green.
> The reasoning is: a green bike might be hard to find if it's
> been parked or stashed among bushes.
>
On the other hand, if you were planning to stealth camp
(which is as good as excuse as any to plug Ken Kifer's bicycle pages, for
those new to rec.bicycles.misc who may not have been exposed to Ken's
writing) http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/touring/camping.htm
you'd want a nice shade of forest green -- sort of like a lot of Trek 520's
I've seen. [the 520 is a loaded touring bicycle]. I wonder if there's any
connection?