Timeless/Tasteful bike paint jobs

[deechee]

Hi,

The Peg thread on the classifieds got me thinking; what is a tasteful, classic, timeless bike paint job? Are black, white and brushed/naked Ti the only safe colors?

Blue can't be just royal blue, there's electric blue. Emerald green is gorgeous but in a few years they fade the way fluorescent oakley colors are laughed at now. How does Serotta select their colors for the coming year?

Can our generous hosts also tell us which colors are the most ordered/popular?

Does Serotta believe that the paint schemes they offer are timeless? Do most people believe this is so? I am in my 30's and the paint schemes of Felt & Guru appeal to me, yet I feel they will look dated 10 years from now. At the same time, the simplicity of the 2-3 color schemes from Serotta make me think of bikes from the 70's, and besides the high cost, they don't appeal to me even though I plan to keep my bike for years to come.

What are the colors and paint schemes that appeal to everyone? (doesn't result in angry debate over a frame sale...)

To a lesser extent, has there ever been the idea to modify the Serotta logo/font? I'm not saying we all have to look like web pages but those hexy letters...

[Ozz]

Bare Ti is functional, industrial, and timeless....you may not love it, but it is what it is. Dress it up with wheels and bartape. See my Legend below....

Fades can be trendy...wait anothe 5 years and they will be hot again. Flames? It better be a special bike and rider.....I like mostly one color and maybe a panel for contrast....see my CSI below....

The Serotta logo is just fine....just like the Coca Cola logo. ;)

I heard that car makers choose colors based on what colors were hot sellers in womens intimates....not sure if true, but sounds like a good story.

[rnhood]

Agree on Ti, it should be bare. Otherwise, white. Everything else is fad and fashion - imho. Nothing wrong with that though so, get what floats your boat today because who knows what tomorrow will bring.

[Lifelover]

I think the shear % of Sachs frames that are painted in his team/signature color indicates that it is pretty timeless.

Solid colors are always nice as well.

[Steve in SLO]

Give me Molteni Orange any day and I'll be happy.
It may not be a classic color in the way red or white is classic, but it has become classic because of cycling lore.

[soulspinner]

Steel, panels and Tiparillos... :cool:

[johnnymossville]

Eddy's Orange Bike

Dave's Orange Masi from Breaking Away.

The Benotto bikes from the mid 70's, like the one in the beginning of A Sunday in Hell.

The Gitane Hinault rode.

Sach's Red bikes.

Those 7-11 bikes

The new Pinarello Prince.

[Kervin]

Any solid dark colors
+1 on the Molteni Orange
Bright Red
Lighter colors are a harder choice, some look good at first, but are hard on the eyes everyday
White works for me too
Never a fade
Panels are fine

[Viper]

My DeSalvo! :beer:

[Ray]

No rules - some stuff just works and other stuff doesn't. And eyes of the beholder and all that.

Me, I like 'em orange and I like 'em green. Other colors are OK, but those are my faves for no particular reason. Ti can be painted as long as its fairly simple. Lugged bikes look really good with a contrasting (usually white or off-white) head tube to accentuate the lugs. Otherwise, keep it simple.

But if you like fades and flames and Dario's crazy schemes, go crazy! They're not my cup of tea, but I'm not drinking 'em either.

-Ray

[Peter P.]

Serotta's neon fade days. In fact, ALL their older fades. Their Coors Light schemes-blue and yellow, neon yellow and red.

Gios blue.

Old DeRosa single color w/chrome.

Anything by Merican.

Early (steel) Eddy Merckx's.

It takes at least 15 years for a timeless scheme to come to fruition.

Edit: I may have misinterpreted the original post. I guess some colors can be considered timeless-black, white, and some colors, but there's a lot of leeway when regarding color. Neons were a fad, for instance. That sort of contradicts my Serotta statement above. What can be considered of more relevance "timeless style"-wise is color SCHEMES. Here are a few timeless schemes that would work with almost any color:

Any single contrasting panel- seat, down, head, or even top tube, providing the top tube bears a logo.

Outlined lugs.

Chrome pieces such as fork crowns, chainstays, chainstay/seatstay combos.

I don't feel ANY of today's painted carbon offerings will ever become timeless; there's too much going on with the Giants, Treks, and Specializeds.

[KevinK]

Flames are so imbedded in American pop culture, they will always be relevant.

[14max]

*****

[D_L_Huns]

One color (as long as it's white)
Panels. Creamy panels. Yummy

[petitelilpettit]

I think my bike is a classic and timeless setup:

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r256/petitelilpettit/my%20bikes/SerottaUpdated1.jpg

[tylercheung]

i really like natalie ramsland's sweetpea bikes. definitely something different than the usual stuff.

[ewwhite]

Schwinn 60th Anniversary... In steel or Ti...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1063/1480507891_476fa7716f.jpg

[14max]

*****

[old_school]

I have a soft spot for the traditional panel. That being said, my all time favorite scheme is that of the 1930's Schwinn Excelsior, a classic.
(obviously, this one has been updated, but you get the picture)

http://www.sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/Excelsior01a.jpg

[TAW]

Schwinn 60th Anniversary... In steel or Ti...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1063/1480507891_476fa7716f.jpg

That's a classic. I have to say that I'm partial to panels.

[Michael Maddox]

I think the 7-Eleven team color scheme is pretty classic, too. Even more so is the Mondrian Look scheme that La Vie Claire rode in the 1980s. These are both probably stretching it a bit, but they're recognizable and desirable. Heck, the Mondrian looks good on ANYTHING:

http://chessaleeinlondon.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/mondrian.jpg

Chrome Paramounts are very desirable.

Silver Cinelli's are also desirable.

I'd say all of these are classic, yet they don't really convert well into timeless. The closest I've seen come to timeless is the chrome, for example, the Lynskey Helix in polished Ti with etched logos. While not chrome, it really pulls off the shiny look.

My favorites will always be Ferrari Rosso and chrome lugs, Molteni orange with blue stripes, and something pretty with cream headtube and a seattube accent.

[avalonracing]

Schwinn 60th Anniversary... In steel or Ti...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1063/1480507891_476fa7716f.jpg

That is a beautiful bike but there is nothing "classic" about the crank or wheels. Easy fix though, just strip off about $3K in parts and it will be perfect. ;)

[Louis]

Candy Apple Red and the Waterford below.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=17646&stc=1

[palincss]

That is a beautiful bike but there is nothing "classic" about the crank or wheels. Easy fix though, just strip off about $3K in parts and it will be perfect. ;)

Got to fix that bent fork, too. How'd that happen, anyway? Bike on the roof of the car when you drove into the garage?

[avalonracing]

the Waterford below.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=17646&stc=1

That couldn't be more tasteful. I'll take that over flames, logos, neon, or the little Colnogo guy any day.

[TMB]

Panels ..........

[Lifelover]

Home grown and fresh from the image gallery!

http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=53741&stc=1

[avalonracing]

Yes!

[93legendti]

panels
Serotta's competition red to yellow fade
Serotta's race pattern
about 140 bikes in Dave Kirk's Gallery
most of the bikes in Tom Kellogg's Gallery
The last 10-15 Strong's posted in the Custom Bike section

[cadence90]

I think Dave Wages' personal bike (http://picasaweb.google.com/stevewages/Dave_wages_road_frame#5243909814879210306) is absolutely stunning, timeless, and supremely elegant.
Check out the amazing details on the link above.
I hope it is OK with Dave to post these photos.
Forum member sn69 turned me on to this beauty.
(My own bare Kish ti is pretty nice too. :D )

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vKfjQbil3FU/SMYcMXYPS0I/AAAAAAAAAe0/aWpni7LB3WU/s800/Slate%20Blue%20Metallic%201%20web.jpg
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vKfjQbil3FU/SMYcdAQE2YI/AAAAAAAAAf0/7CVpTGxEoCU/s800/Slate%20Blue%20Metallic%202%20web.jpg

[Frank]

Forever linked to the mid to late 1980's TV show Miami Vice, that is. ;)

I can hear the painter of this bike now: "Let's go with mint green and hot pink, a color combination that will never go out of style!"

[avalonracing]

The Ellis>>>> Great shape, logo, color, dropouts, lugs... Very nice.

[14max]

*****

[Arnabio]

Forever linked to the mid to late 1980's TV show Miami Vice, that is. ;)

I can hear the painter of this bike now: "Let's go with mint green and hot pink, a color combination that will never go out of style!"

Or...If it never was in style, it never can go out...

[Arnabio]

I'd vote for mine...

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_LEu1E0K2DK0/SQZTtlXwgkI/AAAAAAAAAmc/ALAxweWn1rU/s720/IMG_0224.JPG

[johnnymossville]

I'd vote for mine...

yours gets my vote as well. Nice to see it again. :)

[r_mutt]

classic?

lugs, solid colors with or without panels, and please, no black components- strictly silver.

[dookie]

no lugs & neon, otherwise close i think.

and there are silver box-section tubies on the wall, waiting for a clean 8s record hubset to complete the build...

http://middlepath.gotdns.com/bikes/scapin.jpg

[Blue Jays]

As far as a classic appearance...if you like raw titanium, you'll absolutely love clearcoated titanium. :beer:

[Steve D]

Moleteni Orange and Saronni Red are my two favorites. Here's my Colnago.

[tuscanyswe]

For me frame design and colour go hand in hand. So no matter how much i like that colnago, its not classic for me with the thicker tubes even with that paint scheme.

Have to go with 1 solid colour with or without panels and silver components as been said allrdy. Cant beat it when it comes to timeless/tastefull designs imo.

[Ozz]

For me frame design and colour go hand in hand. So no matter how much i like that colnago, its not classic for me with the thicker tubes even with that paint scheme.....
I feel ya....but it is still a good color combo and paint scheme.....sort of like the new Bentley looks good in green, even if it is not the original.

:beer:

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . just SO out of it, style-wise . . . ;)

BBD

[tuscanyswe]

Exactly Ozz, Very nice old Bentley!

BBDave havent you heard its hip to be square! If you ever get tired of stripes i got just the jersey for ya.

[PhatMatt]

I was introduced to cycling by my father (and by circumstance) when we lived in Belgium in the early to mid-70's. It was impossible to not be aware of and be taken in by Eddy Merckx-mania. He was everywhere. The neighborhood kids and I would tool around on our Peugeot 5-speeds in direct imitation of Eddy. To commemorate that time in my life and my lifelong love of cycling in general when I found myself with the means I asked Dave Kirk to make me a frame. When it came time to paint it I asked Joe Bell to do so in a manner that was an homage to Eddy's Molteni-era color/paint schemes. I think both the frame and the paint are close to timeless.

I'm currently in the process of hanging new stuff from it so it isn't fully built but here's a pic that Dave sent me when it came back to him from Joe.

[-dustin]

I think Dave Wages' personal bike (http://picasaweb.google.com/stevewages/Dave_wages_road_frame#5243909814879210306) is absolutely stunning, timeless, and supremely elegant.
Check out the amazing details on the link above.
I hope it is OK with Dave to post these photos.
Forum member sn69 turned me on to this beauty.
(My own bare Kish ti is pretty nice too. :D )

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vKfjQbil3FU/SMYcMXYPS0I/AAAAAAAAAe0/aWpni7LB3WU/s800/Slate%20Blue%20Metallic%201%20web.jpg
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vKfjQbil3FU/SMYcdAQE2YI/AAAAAAAAAf0/7CVpTGxEoCU/s800/Slate%20Blue%20Metallic%202%20web.jpg
my god. that is beautiful.

[otis]

Hard to beat classic Celeste for an iconic paint job, here's one from the end of the Gimondi era. Of course a bit out of place when not on a Bianchi.

http://www.otis.g2solutions.biz/ebayimages/temp-speci1.jpg

[Polyglot]

Forever linked to the mid to late 1980's TV show Miami Vice, that is. ;)

I can hear the painter of this bike now: "Let's go with mint green and hot pink, a color combination that will never go out of style!"


Yes some paint schemes are indeed tied to a period of time. Here is my "Rasta" bike repainted in 1985.