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View Full Version : Bike Build Style/Color Call


krazygl00
01-18-2013, 04:37 PM
Hi all,

You may recall this bike from the "Identify This Serotta (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=79669)" thread from a few weeks ago:

http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt301/spectrumforum/liquid%20painted/1CD517A1-60D8-43E6-BB24-33BCD52F028D-25269-00002736A0EAF597.jpg

Well, now that the holiday madness is over and I settle back into the grind (and as my bike budget begins to recover from Christmas spending), it is time to actually start building this thing. So I need input of a strictly stylistic nature, regarding component colors.

If you aren't familiar with that previous thread, the theme of the bike is Doppler Shift, or the property that the light coming from a star moving away from you very fast "shifts" toward the red spectrum, and that the light coming from that same star, if moving toward you shifts toward the blue spectrum. Therefore, every leading surface of the bike should be blue and every trailing surface should be red. It's important to remember that it is a theme and that it obviously won't be a perfect optical illusion.

Therefore I'd like to extend the theme into the componentry if possible and where still aesthetically pleasing. There may be a point at which it becomes ludicrous and starts to distract. So the very first thing I need is a new headset since this is at the same time a conversion from a threaded fork to unthreaded. I am set on going with Chris King, and wanted opinions on the following two color schemes. The first one follows the theme, since technically the top bearing cup is "behind" the lower, and therefore is "trailing", so the stem cap, bearing cap and top cup will be red, with the bottom cup blue:

http://www.cornbread.com/~pedrick/images/CK_HS_RRRB.JPG

The second still follows the theme, but considers the top and bottom cups "neutral" and therefore silver, but still considers the bearing cap "trailing":

http://www.cornbread.com/~pedrick/images/CK_HS_RRSS.JPG

What I like about option 1 is that it takes the theme further and what I like about option 2 is that it is more understated and lets the frame shine. I also feel like if I go with option 2 I'll always kind of regret not getting cool colored Chris King bits. For what it's worth, all other "neutral" components (stem, seatpost, etc.) will be silver while other components that can be thought to be leading or trailing (blue stem clamp, blue front and red rear brakes, etc.) will be colored accordingly.

What do you think?

MattTuck
01-18-2013, 04:52 PM
The leading/trailing edge concept breaks down a bit for circular parts...

I think you could argue that the whole front end of the bike is leading edge, and justify it that way. I personally would be concerned about the colors of the headset matching the colors of the paint. going with option 2 seems a bit more neutral. going with a different top and bottom seems like it will just add more loudness.

Are you going for SRAM 'red' parts? ;)

one60
01-18-2013, 05:03 PM
IMHO, the color of thebrakes, stem & seatpost has a big impact on the overall 'look'. I'd lean towards silver components, white saddle & tape. Keep the headset colors matching, whichever matches best, as there is plenty of color on the frame. Too much more & i fear it becomes too much

one60
01-18-2013, 05:05 PM
So on that we agree...sorry i missed that info

jmoore
01-18-2013, 05:06 PM
The frame needs to be the focus here. All the ancillary components need to disappear so the frame pops. IMO, I'd go black instead of silver and maybe add some small adonized bits here and there, e.g. chainring bolts, cable end crimps, etc.

Lovetoclimb
01-18-2013, 05:12 PM
If the drivetrain and stem are going to be silver, do the silver headset. A silver Thomson stem would be a great fit.

krazygl00
01-19-2013, 10:18 AM
Thanks everyone, you've really helped me make up my mind! I'm going silver headset with the red bearing cap and stem cap for a little accent. I emailed Thomson about an X4 dress-up kit and they sent me a blue clamp and a red cap, gratis!

I really wanted to avoid black on this bike; everything will be red, blue, white and silver, except the tires.

JAGI410
01-19-2013, 11:00 AM
What about pewter instead of silver, keeping the red top cap. Wouldn't the pewter match the couplers?

krazygl00
01-21-2013, 08:06 AM
What about pewter instead of silver, keeping the red top cap. Wouldn't the pewter match the couplers?

Actually the couplers are brushed/bright stainless; I think in the photo they had just unmasked after painting, and the couplers had yet to be cleaned up and polished from the stripping/blasting dirt and debris.

I like pewter components; I think my issue has been finding ones that match. You can get King stuff in pewter but not Thomson stuff, and the King pewter might not match other component's pewter. Bright silver is available and tends to match better across components.