Newbie Colour coordination help

Billywiz

During my ride out today in yet anoher gale force wind I decided to christen my new blue Pinarello jacket. I normally dress head to toe in black as I think it looks pretty darn cool, but because of the obvious safety issues, I decided to add a dash of blue. Coming back into town near the end of my ride I prepared to admire my reflection in the shop windows like you do, but was disappointed with the overall impact of blue and black. Does anyone have any recommendations for combinations of colour accents to use with black such as a bit of red and white? Please note my wheels are shod with Bontrager Race Lites in red/black at the moment, so I dont need anything to 'overpowering'.

Just digressing slightly, I happened upon a 'chain gang' of old codgers and then a solo rider further on. They all had one common factor - poor dress sense! The solo rider was wearing such an odd collection of garments with ill fitting lyca in blue and green, stretched to the max over his ample girth combined with (brown?) Ron Hill track suit bottoms. To make matters worse they were all sun faded!!!! Come on guys, lets have some style out there. Having spent a climbing holiday in the Dolomites last September and seeing droves of Pinarello clad Italian riders along the Pordoi Pass really brought home to me the low standards we set and fail to achieve here in England

Note: Any recommendations for quality sunglasses also appreciated.

Lagavulin

I could don my Sunday best and end up in A&E I suppose...

On the other hand it's still winter in my book and staying visible to other road users, live a few weeks longer in order to buy a nice new bike and hopefully enjoy a decent summer remains my main aim at the minute.

While it wasn't a "good look" I was bit envious of the bloke with fluorescent bar tape when caught out in the fog last Sunday afternoon.

topdude

I have some suggestions :
Look where you are going not at your reflection in shop windows,
Stop worrying what you and other riders look like,
Enjoy the ride, :roll:

stephec

I don't think you're being altogether too serious here are you Billy, or are you Gok Wan in disguise?

You'd best be careful or people will start thinking your a big poofter.!

Billywiz

Thanks for the sarcasm Stephec, and how do you know I'm ' big '? :oops: I see your familiar with old Goky, have you seen his show 'Shop for Your Shape and Look Amazing'. We should lobby him to do a show 'Shop for Your Bike and Look Amazing'

volvine

firstly are you being serious with this post ????
secondly i don't really care what i look like in winter warm and visible are the order of the day.
thirdly i carn't afford to clad my self in £120 bib shorts ect lol
if you are serious you clad yourself out in whatever makes you happy colour coded the works
happy posing

heavymental

A very good topic imo. Cycling's all about looking euro cool. Turning the heads of riders and non cyclists alike, feeling like a style icon when you walk out the front door, admiring your shadow when the sun is at your side and gazing at your reflection in shop windows, car windows, shiny car boots and friends sunglasses (i recommend Arnettes btw) at any opportunity. You've got to feel like you're the coolest thing going as you walk out the door and pedal those first few metres in lithe, fluid style before settling into the saddle and effortlessly turning smooth circles with the pedals at low cadence.

To return to the original question. If you have red in the mix already then maybe best to get a bit more. I'm more of a blue kinda guy myself, with some rainbow stripes where tasteful.

Course, your whole world crumbles around you when you realise your legs are pale and skinny and some kid laughs out loud at your ridiculously over the top look as they fly past you on their bmx....or a woman audibly sniggers as you pass. It can take months to get over.

Doobz

could you not just get the blue pinarello bib shorts to go with your jacket and wear them over your black tights?

I say ride for comfort but ride as if you enjoy it.. if you go out and feel uncomfortable about something then it will reflect in your ride. if your self concious about something then your mind could be elsewhere and probably cause some falls and crashes as your constantly trying to see how you look in the shop windows..

at the end of the day were only riding bikes..

andy_wrx

Some of those Italians you see in big groups ('squadra' ?) in the Dolomites are 'porkers' too, when you get closer.

They might be sitting on a fortune's-worth of Pinarello/De Rosa/Colnago, be wearing smart shades and the Dolomites might be a great place for a club-run, but some have serous guts squeezed into their lycra and are correspondingly slow.

Doobz

Heavymental wrote:

Course, your whole world crumbles around you when you realise your legs are pale and skinny and some kid laughs out loud at your ridiculously over the top look as they fly past you on their bmx....or a woman audibly sniggers as you pass. It can take months to get over.

LOL this happned to me the other afternoon when returning from a ride.. I pulled up to my road and passed one of my neighbours and her 14 year old daughter. The 14 year old daughter burst into hysterics as she saw me and I could see the mother nudging her to shutup. I know it was only reaction but I kinda enjoyed it.. not only am I making myself happy by riding at least I can give others a giggle also.. Even the lads at work have a LOL about it.. They wont be laughing tho when they are big fat munters on their couches and your spinning up some nice mountains in france..

Billywiz

Thanks for the Arnettes recommendation Heavymental, I've just ordered the Arnette Countess 2008 model with full white rims....tasty. Yes, the 'euro cool' is where its at, walking out the door with designer labels fluttering in the slip stream boosts my shallow personality and adds at least 2-3% to my average times. Its all about looking good and thus feeling good which logically will enhance ones performance. 8) BTW Boots do a really good range of spray on tans for your pale legs, you can even get a small aerosol which fits snuggly into your seat bag.

giant_man

Wearing the right colour clothing isn't going to be the first thing that enters your head when you are in the back of the ambulance, you know? Does it matter?

Be seen - be safe I say.

APIII

You wouldn't be interested in one of these then?

http://www.impsport.com/otus/html/1000000602.html

I know the all black look isn't in your best interests, but this is taking the p1ss surely?

Rich Hcp

High vis and layers at this time of year is the key.

I like red and red/black for the summer.

On the sunglasses question.

Oakleys...

The lenses are superb, and if you look cool, well, that's another bonus

AntLockyer

APIII wrote:

You wouldn't be interested in one of these then?

http://www.impsport.com/otus/html/1000000602.html

I know the all black look isn't in your best interests, but this is taking the p1ss surely?

Not very euro is it?

il_principe

Red and black for me! All my road bikes have been a mix of red/black/white although only the Pinarello's colours (caisse d'epargne) were picked by me!

Eat My Dust

Blue and white for me, then it all matches my Lion Rampant cycling top!

jamesblodgett

Rich Hcp wrote:

High vis and layers at this time of year is the key.

I like hi vis in the summer. It really stands out against the corn.

Mog Uk

Red Blue and White club kit for me, apart from when I'm training and then it's all black

Nuggs

:shock:

Is your next topic going to be "does my bum look big in this"?

jamesblodgett

Nuggs wrote:

:shock:

Is your next topic going to be "does my bum look big in this"?

One of our sponors is Dairyland Delights Gourmet Cheesecake (http://www.overdrivecycling.com/sponsors.php) and of course wanted their logo as large as possible, so its on the back panel of the shorts:

Need a wide angle for the back view.

I get a lot of crap in the pack about it, but I notice it doesn't stop them from trying to get on my wheel when sprint starts.[/url]

blackhands

black socks - a definite no no

Billywiz

If you hear a loud rumble tonight James its not another earthquake but the style police breaking down your door to confiscate your Dairyland Delights Gourmet Cheesecake combo