Help with aesthetic issues on a bike

[Dave B]

This is a silly problem, but i have a bike that is 90% black with a few minor red accents. Inside of the fork and inside of the chain stays are red. All of it is flat black.

The bike rides fine, nothing great or bad about it. I refuse to simply sell a bike now a days and trades are very few and far between. so instead of being kind of meh about it, I kind of would like to jazz it up a bit.

So looking for some ideas as to exactly how to jazz it up. The parts on it are fine, no holes for an electric group without lots of zip ties and while eTap would be sweet, I don't think I like the bike to have such a nice (ie. expensive) group on it.

I have read on here at times folks putting some sort of decorative tape on bikes to add to the visual appeal. Not duct tape mind you, but well I am not sure what kind folks are using.

It is a disc gravel/cross bike and I don't have many gravel roads where I am other than chip-seal country roads and I have purchased a better cross bike.

I can add deeper carbon wheels, I have a set of TRP cable/hydro disc brakes and a slew of cross and larger road tires. So I can try to make it better that way. Visually I just cannot seem to find that spark. So looking for any ideas, direction, help with this tape that seems to go on thin, but stay put.


Again I say this is a silly problem, but I keep seeing new fangled bikes that have such a similar profile why sell it, when it should be as good as anything else. I don't do the weight weenie thing as I am not a weight weenie.

So have at it. Any decent thoughts or ideas of course would be appreciated.

If for some reason anyone just falls in love with it while looking at it and wants to possibly do a deal shoot me a pm. Not eager to get rid of it, but obviously that isn't written in stone.

Cheers

Dave

[AngryScientist]

well, if the ride is "not great" - you could start by getting rid of the worst riding tires in the world. those tires were literally made to sell to fixis kids riding gas pipe steel fixies who do skid stops constantly.

[Luwabra]

agree^^^ drop some cash on compass tires... step one. world of difference 125$ ish

[wc1934]

finish your bar tape with red tape, pedals, cables, water bottles?

[Ungaro]

I'd go with red hoods, red top cap, red & black bottle cages & red cables.

[batman1425]

^^^ This. Tires are the cheapest way to improve ride quality IMO.

[Dave B]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

well, if the ride is "not great" - you could start by getting rid of the worst riding tires in the world. those tires were literally made to sell to fixis kids riding gas pipe steel fixies who do skid stops constantly.

just for the trainer tires. not for actual street riding. They were $20shipped for a brand new set, hence used for the trainer.

I have red electrical tape finishing off the bars, might be able to do the red top cap. Bought a thomson stem with red faceplate, only use one type of pedals and they do not come in red.

I think the frame needs a bit of jazzing up, but not sure I want to paint it as number one i don't know how to paint let alone carbon and secondly not crazy about spending high dollars changing the entire look when maybe a bit of trickery???? would work.

[cmbicycles]

Are you looking to add just some more Red to the bike? Using the 3T team stem will get you a thin red stripe, some red spacers to mix up the black at the headset, and a red seat clamp... just a couple thoughts. Different color bar tape could spice it up a little too.

[C40_guy]

Take it to a good automotive detailer and have some pinstriping added.

Maybe add your name or a hashtag? #ridefastridehard

And some nicely constrasting bar tape...tape is reasonably inexpensive, so you could do something very different...

[Dave B]

Originally Posted by cmbicycles

Are you looking to add just some more Red to the bike? Using the 3T team stem will get you a thin red stripe, some red spacers to mix up the black at the headset, and a red seat clamp... just a couple thoughts. Different color bar tape could spice it up a little too.

See this is what I had in my mind, but have you ever seen one of those uber matchy bikes with matching bolts, cable clamps, etc. I guess I was looking for something different. All of these are great ideas and ones I too have thought of.

I was curious about taking a section of the top tube and possibly some other tubes and putting a red and or white "tape" to it, to jazz it up.

[doomridesout]

If you want to add more red, put the 3T stem on with a red stripe as suggested above, add Elite Ciussi Inox cages for the red button, and call it a day. Overdoing it will go from boring to hideous really fast, I hate overcoordinated bikes. Don't go with red tape. The Lizard Skins Dual in red/black might be good. Other than that, don't do any red cable housing or red accents on tires or anything.

[Kirk007]

I agree with I think your sentiment not to overdue the matchy match stuff. More contrast I think would help. You could do white seat and bar tape. You could go silver/ti seatpost and stem, spacers and water bottle holders.

[54ny77]

rock some gold teeth!



or maybe a gold chain.....

[Dave B]

Originally Posted by 54ny77

rock some gold teeth!



or maybe a gold chain.....

Ok....


Winner

[Tickdoc]

supacaz