Would you spend £2,000 on a bike in the 'wrong' colour?

KnightOfTheLongTights
KnightOfTheLongTights Posts: 1,415
edited February 2012 in Road buying advice
I'm looking at a good deal on a bike - a £3,000 last year's model for £2,000, great fit, all perfect ...
Except it's red and I'm at best indifferent to red. In all other respects it's a fantastic looking machine.
But would you spend nearly £2,000 on a bike if you weren't mad on the colour?
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Comments

  • adwt2004
    adwt2004 Posts: 93
    No I wouldn't, what you see is just as important as the value factor (to me anyway). Respray is an option but will add to the cost..
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    NO!
  • noodleman
    noodleman Posts: 852
    Me neither. Every time you look at it you will wish you saved a bit longer for the colour you wanted.
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  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    I wouldn't, even though red is the fastest colour!

    What's the point in buying something you don't really like?!?!

    Incidentally, what bike is it?
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • zippypablo
    zippypablo Posts: 398
    Another vote for no.
    At that price you want to love it not put up with it.
    If suffer we must, let's suffer on the heights. (Victor Hugo).
  • styxd
    styxd Posts: 3,234
    Of course I would, I couldnt give a shit what colour my bike is, especially if it means saving £1000.

    Its a bike ffs, who cares what it looks like. Its meant to be ridden, not gawped at (and a £3000 road bike is a fairly average thing anyway)
  • bendertherobot
    bendertherobot Posts: 11,684
    It depends how lush it is. If it's hideous, probably not. If it IS actually lush, then yes. Even if it's not my "first choice."
    My blog: http://www.roubaixcycling.cc (kit reviews and other musings)
    https://twitter.com/roubaixcc
    Facebook? No. Just say no.
  • KnightOfTheLongTights
    KnightOfTheLongTights Posts: 1,415
    jordan_217 wrote:
    I wouldn't, even though red is the fastest colour!

    What's the point in buying something you don't really like?!?!

    Incidentally, what bike is it?

    BMC Promachine SLC01 Ultegra.
  • KnightOfTheLongTights
    KnightOfTheLongTights Posts: 1,415
    bendertherobot wrote:
    It depends how lush it is. If it's hideous, probably not. If it IS actually lush, then yes. Even if it's not my "first choice."

    well quite, this is how I'm thinking ...
  • on-yer-bike
    on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
    BMCs look good in most colours. Wouldnt be my first choice as I would want the black and pale blue but I would consider it at the right price but probably say no if it was my dream bike.
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  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Are you some kind of girl? Its a bike meant for riding. If you're looking at it that much - clearly you arent riding it as much as you should.

    And if it means THAT much to you - you do know you can get bikes resprayed ? Pay for that and you're still quids in.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    I would say no. It's not a bargain if it's not really what you want.
  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    KnightOfTheLongTights wrote:
    jordan_217 wrote:
    I wouldn't, even though red is the fastest colour!

    What's the point in buying something you don't really like?!?!

    Incidentally, what bike is it?

    BMC Promachine SLC01 Ultegra.

    It's hardly offensive, I quite like it. Suppose it depends on how much you really don't want/like a red bike. Yes, you may be saving £1k but you'll be wasting almost £2k if it's not the one you really want.

    Like I said, it's hardly offensive. Sometimes you get big reductions because things just look like a dogs dinner, hardly the case here, IMO.
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    It's a bike. Plenty of bikes come with no colour options at all - eg my Ribble Gran Fondo. Red white and black is one of the last colour schemes I'd have chosen; it is such a dull choice for a road bike but it was the right geometry and the best fit in the Ribble range so I bought it.

    If this is the bike you really want, do you really want to spend a grand extra on some pigment? A grand extra might get you a Super Record groupset upgrade which is probably rather more enjoyable in the long term than the pigment. And, if this sort of thing excites you, ultimately all everyone else with think is 'nice 3k bike'.

    Besides, once you have it you'll enjoy it for what it is rather than its colour.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • KnightOfTheLongTights
    KnightOfTheLongTights Posts: 1,415
    thanks all

    certainly an issue that divides opinion, huh?
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Buy it, and if you don't like it I'll take it off your hands ;-)
  • styxd
    styxd Posts: 3,234
    I think if money isnt an issue at all (i.e. you've got spare £1000's kicking about doing fuck all) , then sure, pay full whack and get the colour you want.

    Otherwise, I agree with Rolf. Get it in whatever colour and buy a Super Record groupset! I think I'd enjoy a crappy coloured bike with Super Record more than I would a lovely coloured bike with Tiagra.
  • PhilPub
    PhilPub Posts: 229
    You might even get used to it. Plus - red is the fastest colour. FACT.
  • oldraver
    oldraver Posts: 94
    I would have thought that stripping the bike down, getting it resprayed, adding official decals plus unofficial ones then, getting it rebuilt would cost less than the grand you are saving.
    That would also give you the option of a nice custom bike plus money saved to spend on the upgrades that you will want to do ;-)
  • KnightOfTheLongTights
    KnightOfTheLongTights Posts: 1,415
    PhilPub wrote:
    You might even get used to it.
    I was thinking this too.
    Their black, blue and orange colour scheme that they do the Racemachine is gorgeous but not sure if the Promachine was ever made inthose colours anyway ...
  • robbo2011
    robbo2011 Posts: 1,017
    edited January 2012
    they have stopped making them with that colour scheme in 2012. Team colours are the theme again this year, which is what I ended up going for.

    For £1k off though, I'd be less critical on the colour unless it's hideous, which I don't think the red is.
  • flasher
    flasher Posts: 1,734
    The BMC in red looks good, you should buy it, and the £1000 saved can go towards your next bike :D
  • fish156
    fish156 Posts: 496
    KnightOfTheLongTights wrote:
    I'm looking at a good deal on a bike - a £3,000 last year's model for £2,000, great fit, all perfect ...
    Except it's red and I'm at best indifferent to red. In all other respects it's a fantastic looking machine.
    But would you spend nearly £2,000 on a bike if you weren't mad on the colour?
    It all depends on you. Are you the sort of rider who's bike is always immaculately turned out (in which case I'd say you're always likely to regret the purchase to some degree), or are you the sort of rider who turns up to a group ride with muck on your bike from the last month's riding (in which case I'd say buy it - you'll get used to it).
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    No

    for £2k its gotta be exactly as i want it.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    kingrollo wrote:
    No

    for £2k its gotta be exactly as i want it.

    Yes, but would you really want the perfect 2k bike or a 3k bike that is cosmetically not exactly your choice but mechanically is? The 2k bike wouldn't be exactly as you want it as either the colour would be wrong or the whole bike would be wrong. I'd settle for just the colour being wrong!

    I'd say the BMC carries the red off surprisingly well.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • bendertherobot
    bendertherobot Posts: 11,684
    Very well, it's also £1899 at Evans. Same bike?
    My blog: http://www.roubaixcycling.cc (kit reviews and other musings)
    https://twitter.com/roubaixcc
    Facebook? No. Just say no.
  • garnett
    garnett Posts: 196
    It's obviously a personal choice. If I was spending that much, I'd be thinking about getting a custom paint job anyway.
  • brettjmcc
    brettjmcc Posts: 1,361
    Rolf F wrote:
    Yes, but would you really want the perfect 2k bike or a 3k bike that is cosmetically not exactly your choice but mechanically is? The 2k bike wouldn't be exactly as you want it as either the colour would be wrong or the whole bike would be wrong. I'd settle for just the colour being wrong!

    I'd say the BMC carries the red off surprisingly well.

    +1

    As an aside, people do this buying cars with a lot more money. "I see sir, you'd like the car in silver. That will be a 6 month wait time. However, I can offer this red one in red and offer £500 off..."
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  • Kupepe
    Kupepe Posts: 76
    Well ... one has to like the bike to ride it ... but eventually one loves his bike more and more as he puts up miles, experiences and laughs..
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Also worth remembering that there are always good deals on bikes to be found. If a bike in red isn't for you, don't buy it. Hang onto your cash and something else will come along that is what you really want.

    I think that if you've had to post this question there is doubt in your mind and if there is doubt that's a good enough reason not to buy.

    Still, nice bike, I'd buy it but then I like red bikes!

    :D

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