What makes a bike beautiful?



tcklyde

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Dec 17, 2003
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A couple of days ago I checked out Bianchi's '04 Pista and I was immediately struck by how beautiful I thought it was. The thin steel tubes reminded me of the first ten-speeds I saw my parents ride when I was a child. The simple drivetrain seemed understated .. yet elegant. And the chrome plating had me drooling. It was very much like the aesthetic attraction I have to Apple's powerbook line. Simple, smooth, sleek.

I've always preferred the simple look. Bikes with multiple colors and stays in weird shapes, like some Colnagos, sort of freak me out.

So forget stiffness and feel and weight for a moment. Break it down to pure style: what sort of paint jobs to people like on their bikes: wild colors and team stickers or solid and paint free simplicity? And what material: old fashioned, thin tubed steel, smooth, flowing carbon fiber, big tubed aluminum, or sleek, shiny titanium?
 
So forget stiffness and feel and weight for a moment. Break it down to pure style: what sort of paint jobs to people like on their bikes: wild colors and team stickers or solid and paint free simplicity? And what material: old fashioned, thin tubed steel, smooth, flowing carbon fiber, big tubed aluminum, or sleek, shiny titanium? [/B][/QUOTE]

I was astonished at the elegant simplicity of the Wright Brothers "Van Cleve" that's on display in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.
 
I have to say i like the new bianchi single speed mtn bike -- all chrome. very simple. I like simplicity too... the pista is similar, but my boyfriend has the '03, and so the '04 just looks odd to me (weird).

but that was another appeal of my current bike--silver--although it does have 'specialized' splashed all over it....
 
I have to say i'm partial to a bit of carbon weave, deep rims and campagnolo record! Oversize tubes and a compact frame help too.

I'm also a real sucker for really aero TT bikes and i'd love to own one even though i'll never be competitive in TT

I reckon hands down Orbea produce the most beautiful paint jobs on bikes but i also very much like my old bike's appearance (giant OCR 3, metallic red) and my new bike which is a sparkly silver and black.

My Girlfriend has a matt black Cinelli with 2004 carbon record, carbon seat post, columbus muscle forks and Ksyrium SLs and its also awesome to look at.
 
Originally posted by Duckwah
I have to say i'm partial to a bit of carbon weave, deep rims and campagnolo record! Oversize tubes and a compact frame help too.

I'm with you on the compact frame ... I love the look of Giant's new TCR 0. As groupos ... DA 04 really doesn't do it for me. I don't like the overly modern look of the crankset. Definitely prefer Campy Record (and the black Ergos!).
 
Duckwah, I'm with on the carbon weave! I recently was able to build a dream bike and once I saw the 04 Record group I was mesmorized!

Picture 1:
 
I like European bikes, mainly Italian, Bikes like Pinarello, Colnago, Olmo, Bianchi and Opera all look great with Campag Record. Great looking paint jobs and a bit of carbon :)
 
carbon, carbon and more carbon. can't get enough of the stuff. would love a full carbon cervelo with record. and then of course carbon cranks, ax lightness carbon brakes, USE carbon post, Selle Italia SLR Carbon, Zipp 303.

Except then i saw the Bianchi L'una and i want it all in white carbon!!!
 
Originally posted by tcklyde
I've always preferred the simple look. Bikes with multiple colors and stays in weird shapes, like some Colnagos, sort of freak me out.

So forget stiffness and feel and weight for a moment. Break it down to pure style: what sort of paint jobs to people like on their bikes: wild colors and team stickers or solid and paint free simplicity? And what material: old fashioned, thin tubed steel, smooth, flowing carbon fiber, big tubed aluminum, or sleek, shiny titanium?

Excellent question!

At the moment I really like the look of the Argon18 Radon Cz, it looks fast even though it's standing still. I too don't yearn after radical tubes, bizarre geometries or outrageous colour schemes.

I am trying to resurrect an old Rayleigh 531c frame that's been hanging around in my garage for ages. I am putting some Shimano 600 components on it and it's coming along.
 
Originally posted by c_record
carbon, carbon and more carbon. can't get enough of the stuff. would love a full carbon cervelo with record. and then of course carbon cranks, ax lightness carbon brakes, USE carbon post, Selle Italia SLR Carbon, Zipp 303.

Except then i saw the Bianchi L'una and i want it all in white carbon!!!

I just picked up Velo News and saw that sweet looking perl white l'una!! What a nice piece of crafstmanship!

Viva la carbon!
 
You guys need to look at the new FUJI team super lite. Only 14.9lbs (6.77kg) now that is a dream bike.
 
What makes a Bike beautiful?

Well, my new Record Cabon-fibre bottle cage (birthday present from Susi) for one thing! What a work of art!

Agree about the Bianchi Pista 04...that's why I'm trying to get one shipped from Canada. Can you believe that Bianchi Europe don't offer these? We've just had a new velodrome built in our town and the demand for track bikes is phenomenal.

Unfortunately, the demand for the Bianchi Pista is phenomenal as well -- April/May earliest deliveries, apparently.
 
Personally, I think I have the sexiest bike around. When I was first getting into the sport, I bought what fit me, and what I thought looked good. I have a USPS Team Trek 5200, year 2000, I think, the white one, and Full Campy record. USE Alien seat… mmm, I love my bike, just put some pledge on it, makes it shine under the sun. My favorite part is the Carbone wheels. I love the deep rim with the letters, esp when they spin round and round. Last Saturday someone I ride with called them a rolling orgasm. (can I say that). :D I sound like a loony here, but whatever.
 
just a note on the Bianchi L'una frame - it's white/silver carbon wrap on the outside but quite definitely black on the inside. I know because on my first ride on my new L'una a &$#@ motorist turned in front of me without giving way. I hit the brakes but smashed into the side of her car and broke the frame clean in two. Insurance is paying for L'una mk 2 AND a set of Ksyrium SL wheels. :p
 
I miss chrome head tube lugs with perfect brazed joints and sculted and filed shapes flowing to the main triangle tubes. Especially if there are clovers carved into them.
 
I find that a bike can have beauty when you first buy it, or a wow factor when you see it first. However I think a bike attains its beauty the longer you own it and as it becomes yours. THere is something sterile about a bran new bike. Like yes its wonderful but you have to work and put in the miles to make it yours. LIke its beautiful that it carried be down that mountain, or I did a good century on it etc. I mean you cant help but love and admire sometihng you spend so many hours with.. Though maybe Ive stryed from the aesthetic beauty this post wanted to talk about! Though now my bikes two years old I have realy affection for it. Lots of good memories with it and its not let me down too much.. So then I can call it beautiful as its earned that compliment!
 
It's tough to beat Rivendell for classic beauty in my opinion. Yeah the new high-tech carbon (etc.) bikes are cool but these bikes are works of art! Classic lug work, Joe Bell paint jobs...
 

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