Bike appearance vs quality ride....?

mtbMike

mtbMike

iMTB Rockstah
Not sure if this has ever been covered on here but we had this conversation on the drive to a local ride last weekend.

Would you buy a bike you didn't like the appearance of if you loved the ride quality? Would frame design/looks be more relevant or frame color or both? We only had (1) guy in our group of 6 that said n\ nothing matters at all if the bike rides great. This same guy (who makes plenty of $$) will gladly take nearly any hand me down tire you don't like and he'll run it until he can't any longer. He currently rides a 1st version Bronson and plans on getting a new bike this Fall.

Me? There's some bikes I just can't get past the looks/frame design and others (many Santa Cruz's for example) that have such hideous color options that it's a non-starter for me.
 
mtbMike said:
Not sure if this has ever been covered on here but we had this conversation on the drive to a local ride last weekend.

Would you buy a bike you didn't like the appearance of if you loved the ride quality? Would frame design/looks be more relevant or frame color or both? We only had (1) guy in our group of 6 that said n\ nothing matters at all if the bike rides great. This same guy (who makes plenty of $$) will gladly take nearly any hand me down tire you don't like and he'll run it until he can't any longer. He currently rides a 1st version Bronson and plans on getting a new bike this Fall.

Me? There's some bikes I just can't get past the looks/frame design and others (many Santa Cruz's for example) that have such hideous color options that it's a non-starter for me.
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Ride quality is probably the most important, but looks, particularly color, matter to me. Just can't be a color that offends me otherwise it's good.
If it's F'ugly in my eyes i'll ride it if needed but won't buy it.

One thing I know for sure beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It's a very personal decision so I don't fault anyones choice in Bike or color.
 
I'm somewhere in the middle as far as looks go. I have recently retired a SUPER-BRIGHT/DAY-GLOW/FLUORESCENT/EASTER EGG orange Trek Remedy that checked all of the boxes for spec and performance of that period. Do I wish it was a more tame color? Absolutely.

Common sense says that a bike should perform as needed/expected/required first and foremost over appearance.
 
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I personally wouldn’t ride something that didn’t appeal to me visually (like I couldn’t own an orange or yellow bike), but that’s not to say I wouldn’t ride an ugly bike. In some cases there’s beauty in “ugly”. I actually think Guerilla Gravity bikes are kind of overtly utilitarian in appearance to the point of being beautifully ugly.
 
SnakeCharmer said:
Common sense says that a bike should perform as needed/expected/required first and foremost, though over appearance.
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For a Pro maybe but if you're spending your own money, hopefully you can bet as happy as possible with the total package....knowing full well we are constantly making compromises in our lives and bike purchases are pretty low on the importance list. My orange/red/yellow day-glow 2017 Tracer is definitely a bike that most people online were like "OMG, that thing is ugly (or hideous)" but for some reason, I actually like it. That being said, their new paint colors are 100X better and I wish I had the 2019 frame.
 
When my buddy Vince opened up JRA 5-6 years ago I wasn't in the market for a bike but he let me take out several demos on the shop rides and though most of them looked and/or rode nice none of them made me think I have to have this bike.
Fast forward to a couple of years ago when I started looking for a new ride. Vince says he just got the new Niners in and that I should check out the Jet 9 RDO. I said I didn't like it when I demoed it before and he assured me that the new one was a completely different bike.
He couldn't have been more right. I fell in love instantly. It fit perfect right out of the box. After the first ride I was convinced that I needed this bike though I took it out two more times just to make sure.
I've always had black MTBs and that's what color the demo was. When I went in to order mine there was a yellow one on the floor and I thought to myself why not?
As far as looks go it took me awhile to get past the vertical shock placement though there's no denying the way it rides.
On occasion I look at other bikes and think wow but I would not hesitate to buy another Jet 9 RDO.
 
I cannot get over certain colors. Fortunately most of the bikes I have looked at come in more than 1 color, and I was able to find one that was acceptable.

Personally, the way it rides outweighs the way it looks. Eventually anything will grow on you. But that is why I tend to stay with a brand I have been happy with....I get the best of both worlds.

See too many people on the trails who are more concerned with how they look, instead of how they ride.
 
mtnbikej said:
I cannot get over certain colors. Fortunately most of the bikes I have looked at come in more than 1 color, and I was able to find one that was acceptable.
See too many people on the trails who are more concerned with how they look, instead of how they ride.
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Perhaps bike companies should offer custom color schemes for their frames that are made to order for the super picky rider.

And of course riders are are often more concerned with the way they look than with the way they ride. This is Hollywoodland.
 
SnakeCharmer said:
Perhaps bike companies should offer custom color schemes for their frames that are made to order for the super picky rider.

And of course riders are are often more concerned with the way they look than with the way they ride. This is Hollywoodland.
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SC used to offer 8 powdercoat colors and 2 anodized colors on all their bikes. 6 standard colors and 2 seasonal colors. Sometimes you had to wait a long time to get the color you wanted as they would paint small batches at a time.
 
Oh yeah, looks totally matter. But by my standards, not really caring if others like it or not. I love my bright pink MC bike, and the funky green and purple Chameleon. Others probably hate those colors. There are so many GREAT bikes out there, it should be easy to find one that rides exactly like you want it to, and has great aesthetic appeal as well. For good or bad, Santa Cruz really ticks those boxes for me. Love the lines and color palates, and their slightly conservative geo seems to match my style pretty well.

Now, how about adding into the equation company ethos and corporate culture & size. Say Specialized vs. YT, Trek vs. GG, Giant vs. Canyon, SC vs. Rocky Mountain, or whatever combo you can think of. Say the bikes look the same, ride the same (cuz they are probably made in the same factory), but one is a huge multi-national, while the other is a regional independent. Then say the huge multi one is simply a better bike or better looking. Go with that one, or support the little guy? Better warranty vs. street cred. Price vs. panache.
 
I want to have a bike that makes me want to ride when I look at it. I don't like raw, black or gray because they just don't do anything for me. On the other end of the spectrum, some of the neon color combos offered by Intense or Santa Cruz recently make me cringe.

I mentioned in another thread that the Guerrilla Gravity is on my short list, but the shape of the top tube and the shock location/position combine to set some unattractive lines to my eye. I think with the right paint, I could get past that.

Which brings me to the company itself. This is absolutely essential to me. Giant, Trek and Specialized make some great bikes, but the companies are so big and so corporate, I can't just call 'em up or e-mail and chat. They do every kind of bike - and clothing - and accessory - and I'd rather deal with a company who does exclusively or almost exclusively mt. bikes. I like that I've had an ongoing e-mail correspondence with Chris Conroy and stopped in to chat with him a few times at Yeti. I like that Noel Buckley answered a few of my questions at Knolly. I like that I've chatted with Jeff Steber at Intense, and had the cell numbers of the CEO and CFO, knew their kids and shared trails with them. I like that my buddy is good friends with Chris Cocalis at Pivot. GG sounds like that kind of company as well - and that's a big deal. Transition sounds similar.

I will never criticize YOUR choice of bike however! :thumbsup: (Well, unless I don't like it :whistling:).
 
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herzalot said:
I want to have a bike that makes me want to ride when I look at it. I don't like raw, black or gray because they just don't do anything for me. On the other end of the spectrum, some of the neon color combos offered by Intense or Santa Cruz recently make me cringe.

I mentioned in another thread that the Guerrilla Gravity is on my short list, but the shape of the top tube and the shock location/position combine to set some unattractive lines to my eye. I think with the right paint, I could get past that.

Which brings me to the company itself. This is absolutely essential to me. Giant, Trek and Specialized make some great bikes, but the companies are so big and so corporate, I can't just call 'em up or e-mail and chat. They do every kind of bike - and clothing - and accessory - and I'd rather deal with a company who does exclusively or almost exclusively mt. bikes. I like that I've had an ongoing e-mail correspondence with Chris Conroy and stopped in to chat with him a few times at Yeti. I like that Noel Buckley answered a few of my questions at Knolly. I like that I've chatted with Jeff Steber at Intense, and had the cell numbers of the CEO and CFO, knew their kids and shared trails with them. I like that my buddy is good friends with Chris Cocalis at Pivot. GG sounds like that kind of company as well - and that's a big deal. Transition sounds similar.

I will never criticize YOUR choice in bike however! :thumbsup: (Well, unless I don't like it :whistling:).
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Nice!! I feel the same way about GG but don't think I can get past it with paint. Knolly has some really cool paint jobs. I love the look of that new Fugitive but I'm currently a carbon snob so that's not an option. Maybe if I rode one, I'd change my mind? I also agree with you about the mega-companies. I've had Pivot's in the past and when I needed the tiniest of parts, they were the worst bike company I've ever dealt with. They could not have been more difficult to get what amounted to a $4 part. Intense on the other hand said "do you want me to send you the part or you can pick it up in person since you live so close". I drove in and they gave me that part and a few other pieces "I might need down the road" for free. Ibis has hands down been the most convenient, accessible bike company I've corresponded with. Their rep at bike festivals is also ridiculously personable and a great all around guy to chat with....and I've still not so much as demoed an Ibis. :confused:
 
mike said:
I don’t much care what my tools look like if they work well. Ever see a painted wrench?
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Try all you want Mike, but I am not cool enough to equate my bike to a wrench. Logically I know that it's a tool and riding is the thrill, but we are visual creatures, who have an equally ingrained "aesthetics" mode - and thank God for that. Form follows function, but passion is hard to pin down with logic.
 
herzalot said:
Try all you want Mike, but I am not cool enough to equate my bike to a wrench. Logically I know that it's a tool and riding is the thrill, but we are visual creatures, who have an equally ingrained "aesthetics" mode - and thank God for that. Form follows function, but passion is hard to pin down with logic.
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It doesn’t take being cool. :geek: Nobody is more visual than I am. I make my living with visuals. But I don’t apply it to tools...that’s too much trouble!

I understand that people are emotional beings, and they tend to think the things they buy are them in some way.

When I had a bright yellow bike, people who know nothing about bikes would comment Nice bike! The only comments about my Smash are from riders who have a clue, haha.

Carrion!
 
mtbMike said:
For a Pro maybe but if you're spending your own money, hopefully you can bet as happy as possible with the total package....knowing full well we are constantly making compromises in our lives and bike purchases are pretty low on the importance list. My orange/red/yellow day-glow 2017 Tracer is definitely a bike that most people online were like "OMG, that thing is ugly (or hideous)" but for some reason, I actually like it. That being said, their new paint colors are 100X better and I wish I had the 2019 frame.
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I often wonder why some of these bike companies have so many spec versions of the same frame.

I think a new/better format for bike sales is to offer frames and list of components for the build. You have your chosen frame build up the way you want it built. No more buying a bike and then switching out the parts that you don't like. You ask for a quote, and the company supplies one. The quotes include a small savings for the package compared to buying each piece separately and building it yourself. And, no more buying direct. Get the LBS' involved in every transaction. You order and pay through them. We need our LBS' dammit! :D

Of course, the companies continue to offer frame only sales for those who prefer to build it up themselves.
 
i once bought a used santa cruz bullit frame, for a great deal. Except...it was pumpkin orange. I just had to have it repainted (dark blue).
However, as far as the overal looks/design of a bike, dont really care as long as geo and kinematics are what i want. but i do gravitate towards bikes with clean straight lines and an industrial look. Dont really like the curvy tubes.
 
Voodoo Tom said:
That right there was very well said and just for the record your unpainted tool is one of the sexiest b!tches I've ever laid eyes on.
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Love unpainted frames. Started with a Merlin Ti, a bunch of ball-burnished GTs and finally the 575.
Kind of reminds me of the weaponry in the military. Raw, worn, and fully functional.
Makes me wonder what I could do with some paint stripper and a couple of hours... Besides voiding warrantees!
 
First it has to ride good but if it looks like sh!t to me then I'm just not interested. I'm not a color coordination kind of guy. Black and blue or any combo thereof is what normally works for me. My hammered azz old Ripley with 23,000 chunks missing out of the paint is still the sexiest bike in my eyes. Never in a bizillion years did I think I'd be caught dead on the brightest mango orange colored anything but the damn Hijacked Hightower just rode so good and I didn't want to be total twinzies with the guy I ride with all the time. That being said I like the matte black everything else look and can now deal with whatever color the frame is.
 
Voodoo Tom said:
My hammered azz old Ripley with 23,000 chunks missing out of the paint is still the sexiest bike in my eyes.
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Somewhat related, I feel pretty conspicuous with shiny new gear, regardless of the "sport". I like seeing battle scars. I take really good care of my gear as far as maintenance, transport, etc., but when actually using it take more of a drive it like you stole it approach. However, I can't buy used gear, because my gear OCD doesn't allow me to have gear with other people's battle scars on it.
 
Voodoo Tom said:
First it has to ride good but if it looks like sh!t to me then I'm just not interested. I'm not a color coordination kind of guy. Black and blue or any combo thereof is what normally works for me. My hammered azz old Ripley with 23,000 chunks missing out of the paint is still the sexiest bike in my eyes. Never in a bizillion years did I think I'd be caught dead on the brightest mango orange colored anything but the damn Hijacked Hightower just rode so good and I didn't want to be total twinzies with the guy I ride with all the time. That being said I like the matte black everything else look and can now deal with whatever color the frame is.
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Maybe you ought to totally tape up your HT so that it never reaches that "23,000 chunks missing" condition? :eek:

I learned the hard way with my old Remedy so there's more tape than exposed paint covering my Jabber and it's a steel frame. I am expecting two tape kits in the mail any day now for my new Fuel EX because two kits worth is what I'll need to cover it the way I want to.

HEY?! Maybe I ought to start a "bike frame protection application" mobile type business? I love delicate work like that. :D
 
Voodoo Tom said:
First it has to ride good but if it looks like sh!t to me then I'm just not interested. I'm not a color coordination kind of guy. Black and blue or any combo thereof is what normally works for me. My hammered azz old Ripley with 23,000 chunks missing out of the paint is still the sexiest bike in my eyes. Never in a bizillion years did I think I'd be caught dead on the brightest mango orange colored anything but the damn Hijacked Hightower just rode so good and I didn't want to be total twinzies with the guy I ride with all the time. That being said I like the matte black everything else look and can now deal with whatever color the frame is.
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That wabi-sabi thing.
 
mtbMike said:
Would you buy a bike you didn't like the appearance of if you loved the ride quality?
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Absolutely. To me components > frame > aesthetics. A carbon frame might cost $1000 wholesale, and yet retailers jack up the price to $3000 just because they can find people who will pay the $$$. Components exist in a much more competitive market, and the markup is typically much lower. I ride a private label frame with XTR components (shifters, cranks, brakes, etc), and I save about $3000 by doing so. That $3000 can go a long way in tweaking parts of the build to make it exactly what I want - while still coming in dramatically below retail on a comparable bike (with a retail frame).

I am currently looking at buying a frame directly from China - and building the whole bike myself. Flat black frame - no logos. I'll be the SR-71 of the MTB world.

sr-71-ec94-42531-4.jpg
 
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