# Colour of a bike - would you ride a feminine colour?



## cambsno (7 Aug 2020)

Got a test ride this weekend on an Allez 2021 model in Clay, but in the shop it looks a bit more lilac than the images suggest. Will see how ride goes but after sitting on it in shop and doing research at this price range its exactly what i want, aside from not being too keen on colour!

On the one hand, bikes are in short supply and want to get out properly as soon as possible so who cares on the colour. But for the sake of waiting a few weeks/months maybe i can get a different bike in a better colour - it is £700 or so I am spending!! Thoughts?


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## Chromatic (7 Aug 2020)

Have it, at least it's not red, if it was red I'd say wait but clay sounds ok.


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## vickster (7 Aug 2020)

I wouldn’t buy a bike I really didn’t like the colour of...for me that would be a black, grey or dark brown one. I wouldn’t buy anything pink or lilac either or pastel, I like bright colours (or bright accents on titanium).

There’ll be other £700 bikes better specced than a full price £700 Specialized


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## hoopdriver (7 Aug 2020)

My bicycle is custom made, meaning I chose the colour. I chose a dusky mauve colour which could certainly be seen as feminine. I love it. I like that shade of colour anyway and it looks stunning on the bicycle. I couldn't care less if a colour is perceived as masculine or feminine. If I like it, I’ll have it.


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## Cycleops (7 Aug 2020)

As long as your legs aren’t clay I’d say you should be okay


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## BigMeatball (7 Aug 2020)

Nah mate, you need to like the colour. Riding a bike you don't like the colour of will feel weird and not as enjoyable.


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## ianrauk (7 Aug 2020)

BigMeatball said:


> Nah mate, you need to like the colour. Riding a bike you don't like the colour of will feel weird and not as enjoyable.


This..../\/\


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## Reynard (7 Aug 2020)

Chromatic said:


> Have it, at least it's not red, if it was red I'd say wait but clay sounds ok.



Oi!!!

What's wrong with a red bike?


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## vickster (7 Aug 2020)

Get the raspberry one, the clay is very insipid and meh
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Specialized/Allez-Road-Bike-2021/N0PX

the green of the £1200 Elite is rather gorgeous


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## Reynard (7 Aug 2020)

vickster said:


> Get the raspberry one, the clay is very insipid and meh
> https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Specialized/Allez-Road-Bike-2021/N0PX



Ah, now that's rather nice. 

But then I would say that.


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## vickster (7 Aug 2020)

Reynard said:


> Ah, now that's rather nice.
> 
> But then I would say that.


Yep v pretty


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## ianrauk (7 Aug 2020)

Reynard said:


> Oi!!!
> 
> What's wrong with a red bike?


Red slows bikes down...


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## slowmotion (7 Aug 2020)

Chromatic said:


> Have it, at least it's not red, if it was red I'd say wait but clay sounds ok.


OI!!!! My bike's red......and totally awesome.
Unlike the rider


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## Reynard (7 Aug 2020)

ianrauk said:


> Red slows bikes down...



Who says I have to be riding places at Mark Cavendish type speeds? 







P.S. I have five bikes, all of which are either red, or mostly so...


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## vickster (7 Aug 2020)

Reynard said:


> Who says I have to be riding places at Mark Cavendish type speeds?
> 
> View attachment 540314
> 
> ...


Aww pocket sized bike. Helmet is almost as big


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## cambsno (7 Aug 2020)

Ohhhh, debate!!!! 

I do prefer black or red myself - but there is a real shortage of bikes still and many are months away from being in stock according to websites.


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## Reynard (7 Aug 2020)

vickster said:


> Aww pocket sized bike. Helmet is almost as big



*chuckle*

That pocket-sized bike still makes me grin like a loon, nearly four years after buying it. 

My head... Well...


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## vickster (7 Aug 2020)

cambsno said:


> Ohhhh, debate!!!!
> 
> I do prefer black or red myself - but there is a real shortage of bikes still and many are months away from being in stock according to websites.


What size? Sigma have some in the red


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## cambsno (7 Aug 2020)

vickster said:


> What size? Sigma have some in the red



54 - may just see if they are telling the truth in being in stock 7-8 days from now.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (7 Aug 2020)

Considering a build based on this frame


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## ColinJ (7 Aug 2020)

ianrauk said:


> Red slows bikes down...


Uphill and on the flat, yes, but...






...red is MUCH quicker _downhill_!


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## Badger_Boom (7 Aug 2020)

Define ‘feminine’ colours.

I’ve worn pink shirts for years and when an opinion has been offered, my partner and many female friends and colleagues like blokes in the colour. But most men would prefer back to school white, or blue at a push rather than risk being caught in a ‘girls’ colour.


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## Reynard (7 Aug 2020)

ColinJ said:


> Uphill and on the flat, yes, but...
> 
> View attachment 540319
> 
> ...



Pray, what are these "hills" of which you speak? 






P.S. This is my least red bike. Top tube and down tube only, in this case.


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## PaulSB (7 Aug 2020)

Personally I always buy very neutral colours, usually black or grey with, hopefully, distinctive, subtle highlights.

I feel enjoying the colour of one's bike is important so be careful about your choice.

As for "feminine" colours? No such thing in this day and age.


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## vickster (7 Aug 2020)

cambsno said:


> 54 - may just see if they are telling the truth in being in stock 7-8 days from now.


Phone and ask to reserve, a very good retailer 👍


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## DCLane (7 Aug 2020)

Colour's OK to me, although it might affect resale value in the future.


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## vickster (7 Aug 2020)

Less likely to get nicked probably, like pink bikes apparently


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## Chromatic (7 Aug 2020)

Reynard said:


> Oi!!!
> 
> What's wrong with a red bike?



I don't know really, I suppose nothing is wrong with a red bike in reality. It's just that red is not yellow. When I was a kid I had a yellow Sun bike and ever since I've decided bikes should be yellow, and yellow is my favourite colour and I don't like red.


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## Aravis (7 Aug 2020)

My short answer to the opening question is "Yes".

Once upon a time I ordered a custom frame from Mercian Cycles. Faced with a near infinite choice of colours, I soon realised that if I'm buying my perfect frame, it will look fantastic in any colour.

Predictably enough, when it arrived I wasn't particularly happy with my choice. Far too conservative in retrospect. So if it had been a case of "you can have any colour as long as it's lilacky-clay", I'd probably have ended up with a better result.

I had a nostalgic look at the Mercian site - link below. If you scroll down to the pictures of actual frames, do you see anything that wouldn't be absolutely magnificent?

https://www.merciancycles.co.uk/frames/colours/


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## vickster (7 Aug 2020)

Aravis said:


> My short answer to the opening question is "Yes".
> 
> Once upon a time I ordered a custom frame from Mercian Cycles. Faced with a near infinite choice of colours, I soon realised that if I'm buying my perfect frame, it will look fantastic in any colour.
> 
> ...


Black, brown, grey..


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## gavgav (7 Aug 2020)

This is the 21st century. “Feminine” colour?


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## Once a Wheeler (7 Aug 2020)

cambsno said:


> …it looks a bit more lilac than the images suggest.



How's your cycling history? In the 1960s lilac was almost a trademark of Witcomb frames:



I do not think people thought it was particularly feminine: more a trendy partner for psychedelia and similarly coloured roll-collar shirts. In France, the great Poulidor-Anquetil rivalry was being fought out with Anquetil on rather unimaginatively green Helyetts or mid-blue Gitanes; but Poulidor rode purple Merciers:


Well, they called it purple but it was a very lilacky shade of purple and, if anything, Anquetil was the refined socialite and Poulidor was the man's man.
Colour certainly counts. It is part of the rider's psychology. Lavish sponsorship justifies any shade but Poulidor is no bad advertisement for purple and lilac; and Witcombs certainly looked good on the road.


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## Shadow (7 Aug 2020)

Once a Wheeler said:


> How's your cycling history? In the 1960s lilac was almost a trademark of Witcomb frames:


I don't care what era that is from, it is a gorgeous, gorgeous colour.


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## Venod (7 Aug 2020)

This belongs to a male rider, I like it.


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## Moon bunny (7 Aug 2020)

I could not ride a red bike, it would clash with my hair.


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## Twilkes (7 Aug 2020)

Badger_Boom said:


> Define ‘feminine’ colours.
> 
> I’ve worn pink shirts for years and when an opinion has been offered, my partner and many female friends and colleagues like blokes in the colour. But most men would prefer back to school white, or blue at a push rather than risk being caught in a ‘girls’ colour.



Twenty years ago pink shirts were kind of borderline but now they're fine from what I've seen (and from who I've seen wearing them).

If you go into any sports shop you'll see the female section is awash with this odd lilac not-purple not-pink colour, from some tops and leggings that are 100% that colour down to flashes of it on the edges of bags or the backs of trainers. It's an odd thing to behold, and it matches the colour of an Angel Delight-alike dessert that used to be around in the 80s that I'm sure was called "Whop" although I can't find any trace of it on the interweb.


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## a.twiddler (7 Aug 2020)

What's wrong with Lilac? Back in 1982 I had my old Viscount Aerospace do everything go everywhere bike refurbished from faded metallic red to a metallic Ford lilac with all the braze ons it should have had from new, and it looked gorgeous. The frame builder did a really good job, and the paint was tough and did not fade in the sunlight like the original. I had that bike until the late 90s, and foolishly sold it to raise the money to buy Mrs Twiddler a generic ATB which ultimately ended up rusting away in the shed. I had a lot of good memories of that bike, and lots of regrets later when I thought about the history which it represented. So to me, lilac was my choice, and means more than a "feminine" colour, whatever that actually means. Would I ride a pink bike? Maybe, if I liked it. I am well beyond worrying about what other people think now. After all, I did recently buy a recumbent!


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## CanucksTraveller (7 Aug 2020)

I had a lilac Claud Butler roadster for ten years in the 1990s, I loved it, I've also owned a pink racer that I rescued from a skip and did up before finally selling it (to a woman, for what it's worth). 
No such thing as girls' colours, boys' colours etc really, especially not in 2020 (the EF mens racing team look amazing in pink and purple), though my daughter begs to differ and thinks her Trek is both feminine and cool. 






I'd ride a pink bike. But I wouldn't buy that Specialized, I'm just not keen on that colour, it's a bit non committed, a bit "hearing aid beige". 
If you like it, you go for it... that's the only important factor.


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## itboffin (7 Aug 2020)

most importantly whatever colour you choose make sure ALL your bikes are the same colour, you know so the other half never really knows how many bikes you have


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## Reynard (7 Aug 2020)

Chromatic said:


> I don't know really, I suppose nothing is wrong with a red bike in reality. It's just that red is not yellow. When I was a kid I had a yellow Sun bike and ever since I've decided bikes should be yellow, and yellow is my favourite colour and I don't like red.



I'm not going to argue with that. Nostalgia and all that... 

Blue is actually my favourite colour, and it's accident rather design that all my bikes are, well, mostly red.  But i like red bikes.


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## Aravis (7 Aug 2020)

vickster said:


> Black, brown, grey..


Black and grey I find it hard to imagine preferring over something else, but that's a different issue.

Brown - one of the services Mercian offer (at least they did in 1989) was the use of a contrasting colour, typically for the head tube and all or part of the seat tube. So I'm thinking chocolate and cream - that could really work.

But too much choice really can be a curse, though it's all in the eye of the beholder:






My size too.


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## Reynard (7 Aug 2020)

Twilkes said:


> Twenty years ago pink shirts were kind of borderline but now they're fine from what I've seen (and from who I've seen wearing them).
> 
> If you go into any sports shop you'll see the female section is awash with this odd lilac not-purple not-pink colour, from some tops and leggings that are 100% that colour down to flashes of it on the edges of bags or the backs of trainers. It's an odd thing to behold, and it matches the colour of an Angel Delight-alike dessert that used to be around in the 80s that I'm sure was called "Whop" although I can't find any trace of it on the interweb.



Instant Whip?

As a member of the fairer sex, I don't mind the odd bit of pink or lilac when it comes to clothes, but some of it, really, is just a bit TOO much. I just tend to keep it to things like socks, underwear and the occasional t-shirt.

I'm not sure I could ride an all-pink bike, but I did see an ad (here on CC incidentally) for customized bike colours, though can't for the life of me remember which make of bike it was for. One of the bikes was pink at the front and black at the back, and the colours merged into each other somewhere in the middle. That was really rather nice - it reminded me very much of one of the 2002 RML Chevrolet Monte Carlos...


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## fossyant (7 Aug 2020)

I've never been a fan of green, but 1 bike is half british racing green, red and white as that was the only frame I could get quick, when one got written off. The MTB has bright green highlights, but I've changed all the Rock Shox stickers to bright green, and the grips.

The only colours Id not want is pink. Not keen.


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## recumbentpanda (7 Aug 2020)

A ‘feminine’ colour?!! What century is this?


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## Chromatic (7 Aug 2020)

Reynard said:


> I'm not going to argue with that. Nostalgia and all that...
> 
> Blue is actually my favourite colour, and it's accident rather design that all my bikes are, well, mostly red.  But i like red bikes.



If I was younger and faster I'd go and get this: https://www.bianchi.com/tavolozza/oltre-xr4/?code=090O01G

It says that configuration is not available now but it didn't say that when I first looked on that site a few months ago.


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## Reynard (7 Aug 2020)

Chromatic said:


> If I was younger and faster I'd go and get this: https://www.bianchi.com/tavolozza/oltre-xr4/?code=090O01G
> 
> It says that configuration is not available now but it didn't say that when I first looked on that site a few months ago.



Admittedly that's not the sort of bike I'd go for, and besides, they most definitely don't come in my size (I ride a 38 cm road frame!) but that actually looks really rather cool.


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## Supersuperleeds (7 Aug 2020)

I'm ashamed to say that I have a red bike

I do have a white one as well though to balance it out.


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## Chromatic (7 Aug 2020)

Supersuperleeds said:


> I'm ashamed to say that I have a red bike
> 
> I do have a white one as well though to balance it out.


White with blue and yellow bits would probably be my second choice


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## 12boy (7 Aug 2020)

Surly bikes have always ugly murky colors like Beef Gravy (also called Bloody Stool) Meth Teeth Green, Not Enough Water Yellow Pee as examples. Mine is Beef Gravy. I've had green, yellow, red, black, silver, Orange, dark grey and metallic persimmon, a coppery orange color. I like mine monochromatic without decals, though. And, i prefer grips/bar tape and saddle both brown or both black.


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## Gunk (7 Aug 2020)

ianrauk said:


> This..../\/\



+1


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## dodgy (7 Aug 2020)

I honestly think 'feminine colours' what a stupid phrase, but anyway, are the best colours anyway. i had a flouro pink Tierney road bike in the 80s and it looked brilliant. In the early 90s I had a shocking pink MBK MTB and that also looked great. 🤷‍♂️


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## MntnMan62 (7 Aug 2020)

I dig my orange and black bike.


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## cambsno (7 Aug 2020)

CanucksTraveller said:


> I had a lilac Claud Butler roadster for ten years in the 1990s, I loved it, I've also owned a pink racer that I rescued from a skip and did up before finally selling it (to a woman, for what it's worth).
> No such thing as girls' colours, boys' colours etc really, especially not in 2020 (the EF mens racing team look amazing in pink and purple), though my daughter begs to differ and thinks her Trek is both feminine and cool.
> 
> View attachment 540335
> ...



I wouldn't say no to Pink, but lilac is just a bit wishy washy!


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## Gunk (7 Aug 2020)

MntnMan62 said:


> I dig my orange and black bike.
> View attachment 540370



that’s quite a masculine colour scheme, never thought of orange as being feminine


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## plustwos (7 Aug 2020)

cambsno wrote : Got a test ride this weekend on an Allez 2021 model in Clay, but in the shop it looks a bit more lilac than the images suggest.

If you find you really like it, buy it. You will get to love. If not consider taping parts off and lightly add a weakly coloured laquer coat, perhaps based on the colour of some other parts to moderate it. But you probably wont need to.
Ken .


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## Julia9054 (7 Aug 2020)

I think that cycling is one area where men can express their love of bright colours where they might not feel comfortable doing so in other areas of their lives.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (7 Aug 2020)

Julia9054 said:


> I think that cycling is one area where men can express their love of bright colours where they might not feel comfortable doing so in other areas of their lives.


When the Giro D'Italia started in Belfast, my club and others got pink kit produced, I bought both the shorts and jersey


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## DCBassman (8 Aug 2020)

Reynard said:


> Oi!!!
> 
> What's wrong with a red bike?


Exactly!


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## Chromatic (8 Aug 2020)

Julia9054 said:


> I think that cycling is one area where men can express their love of bright colours where they might not feel comfortable doing so in other areas of their lives.





T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> When the Giro D'Italia started in Belfast, my club and others got pink kit produced, I bought both the shorts and jersey



I have one of these and wear it frequently, it's my second favourite jersey.


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## Chromatic (8 Aug 2020)

In case anyone is wondering, here's my favourite jersey



Chromatic said:


> Yeah, go for it. I've got one of these
> View attachment 47920
> in fact it's my favourite jersey, and after last nights score-line I shall wear it on tomorrow's ride in to work.


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## vickster (8 Aug 2020)

A pink jersey is ok, a pink bike a bit much. Bright pink tape on a Ti bike could be


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (8 Aug 2020)

vickster said:


> A pink jersey is ok, a pink bike a bit much. Bright pink tape on a Ti bike could be


My bike colour choice can only get a little brighter


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## Toshiba Boy (8 Aug 2020)

Six Road bikes - 2 Black (modern), 1 Grey (1980s), 1 Blue (1996), 1 Red (1990) and 1 Green (1989) (as in Italian Flag green).

1 Fixie - Black and Red.

Two MTBs, 1 Black and 1 Grey.

1 1970's old road frame project, colour yet to be decided (maybe British Racing Green in homage to my late Dad - the colour of his "best" racing bike in the the late 1950's).

Each to their own (BTW, N+1 definitely a bare Titanium framed beauty, earmarked as a retirement present to myself in c5 years time).


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## ianrauk (8 Aug 2020)

Toshiba Boy said:


> earmarked as a retirement present to myself in


Why wait? Live for the now


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## Ming the Merciless (8 Aug 2020)

Nowt wrong with pink


View: https://youtu.be/UfuN9HRDVZY


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## rogerzilla (8 Aug 2020)

I'm going to have the Eddy Merckx Strada OS refinished in Team Telekom colours, of which one is euphemistically called Telemagenta (it's pink).

https://www.speedbicycles.ch/velo/533/eddy_merckx_titane_team_telekom_olaf_ludwig_1995.html


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## Toshiba Boy (8 Aug 2020)

ianrauk said:


> Why wait? Live for the now


Stable went up by two over past 12 months....... Need a "polite" gap....


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## cambsno (8 Aug 2020)

Well, I decided not to and got deposit back. Did then pop to Decathlon who had the 500 in stock - in theory and better bike at £175 less as it has Sora rather than Claris and disk brakes. Yet when I sat on two different ones they just felt cheap and average, whereas the Allez felt a lot better, and this was me trying not to be a 'snob' about this. it just didn't feel as comfortable or as solid. Anyone else experienced that?


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## Old jon (8 Aug 2020)

Not off topic, but a bit of a tangent.
Last January I went to Bob Jacksons, here in Leeds, to order one of their frames. We talked through a number of details, what width tyres, which bottom bracket, lots of things. I thought all the specs were sorted, ready to pay the deposit. The man asked, 'what colour do you want?'

Do you know, I had no clue at all!


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## Reynard (8 Aug 2020)

vickster said:


> Bright pink tape on a Ti bike could be



Funny you should say that... Guess what I saw this evening whilst driving to Tesco. 

I overtook the lady in question (giving her a suitably wide pass). Didn't stop me from noticing the bike though.


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## Reynard (8 Aug 2020)

Old jon said:


> Not off topic, but a bit of a tangent.
> Last January I went to Bob Jacksons, here in Leeds, to order one of their frames. We talked through a number of details, what width tyres, which bottom bracket, lots of things. I thought all the specs were sorted, ready to pay the deposit. The man asked, 'what colour do you want?'
> 
> Do you know, I had no clue at all!



Ah, a dartboard moment ensued?  Or rather, a darts-at-a-paint-chart moment. 

What colour did you get in the end?


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## Nomadski (9 Aug 2020)

I always loved the bright green colour Cannondale used a few years back. Most new bikes I see tend to all be boring black these days.


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## wheresthetorch (9 Aug 2020)

Nomadski said:


> I always loved the bright green colour Cannondale used a few years back. Most new bikes I see tend to all be boring black these days.



Thank goodness for Bianchi!


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## C R (9 Aug 2020)

cambsno said:


> Well, I decided not to and got deposit back. Did then pop to Decathlon who had the 500 in stock - in theory and better bike at £175 less as it has Sora rather than Claris and disk brakes. Yet when I sat on two different ones they just felt cheap and average, whereas the Allez felt a lot better, and this was me trying not to be a 'snob' about this. it just didn't feel as comfortable or as solid. Anyone else experienced that?


I have the 500, very happy with it after about 1000 miles, but it is my first road bike, and have nothing to compare it to. You have to go with what you are comfortable with.


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## Chromatic (9 Aug 2020)

Old jon said:


> Not off topic, but a bit of a tangent.
> Last January I went to Bob Jacksons, here in Leeds, to order one of their frames. We talked through a number of details, what width tyres, which bottom bracket, lots of things. I thought all the specs were sorted, ready to pay the deposit. The man asked, 'what colour do you want?'
> 
> Do you know, I had no clue at all!



Yellow is the answer to his question.


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## Chris S (9 Aug 2020)

I once sold a lipstick-red Raleigh MTB for £10 because I couldn't stand the colour. I thought I'd get used to it but I didn't.


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## Gunk (9 Aug 2020)

MntnMan62 said:


> I dig my orange and black bike.
> View attachment 540370



I do like an orange bike.


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## Welsh wheels (9 Aug 2020)

ianrauk said:


> Red slows bikes down...


Most of my road bikes are red. Perhaps I'll use this excuse next time I get dropped.


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## Reynard (9 Aug 2020)

Chris S said:


> I once sold a lipstick-red Raleigh MTB for £10 because I couldn't stand the colour. I thought I'd get used to it but I didn't.



Well, you won't be liking my current little project, then...  (P.S. Yes, it is a Raleigh)


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## Paulus (9 Aug 2020)

Chris S said:


> I once sold a lipstick-red Raleigh MTB for £10 because I couldn't stand the colour. I thought I'd get used to it but I didn't.


Wouldn't that be called ' go faster red' 😁


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## Paulus (9 Aug 2020)

Gunk said:


> I do like an orange bike.
> 
> View attachment 540670


Nice bike. Surely the colour is Burnt Amber or something like that.😀


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## Teamfixed (9 Aug 2020)

I think it depends on the type of frame...
Look at a classic 531 Colnago or holdsworth etc and they can look really nice finished in flamboyant colours whereas aluminium frames much less so for some reason IMHO.


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## Soltydog (9 Aug 2020)

I do prefer the unpainted Ti, but I do have one pink bike (awaiting assembly) Carlton Giro, & I also have 3 pink jerseys, so I'm not afraid so wear 'girly' colours  Ride or wear whatever colour you like & sod everyone else


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## AuroraSaab (9 Aug 2020)

There's no such thing as a 'feminine' colour; there's just colours. You do need to like the colour of your main bike though, in my opinion. Same with cars. You spend a lot of time sitting in it/on it so it has to be something that has visual appeal. If it's just a car or bike to get you from A to B the colour is less important.


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## Gunk (9 Aug 2020)

AuroraSaab said:


> There's no such thing as a 'feminine' colour; there's just colours. You do need to like the colour of your main bike though, in my opinion. Same with cars. You spend a lot of time sitting in it/on it so it has to be something that has visual appeal. If it's just a car or bike to get you from A to B the colour is less important.



Speak for yourself, I wouldn't be seen dead driving this.


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## gavroche (10 Aug 2020)

I wouldn't ride a pink bike or drive a pink car.


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## Richard A Thackeray (22 Nov 2020)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Considering a build based on this frame
> 
> View attachment 540317



I like that, & considered the frame/forks as a replacement for my ('first generation') CGR
Until, I saw the price of them


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (22 Nov 2020)

Richard A Thackeray said:


> I like that, & considered the frame/forks as a replacement for my ('first generation') CGR
> Until, I saw the price of them


That is a downside. I didn't purchase in the end, sometime after winter I'll just strip and totally rebuild my PX, likely with a new groupset as my LH Rival lever is getting a bit loose.


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## Richard A Thackeray (22 Nov 2020)

Not fully 'feminine', but I bought this Orbit America new (1990) from the legendary 'Two Wheels Good' in Leeds
The '89 Marin Pine Mountain came from there too






The tights were from 'Troll' (rock-climbing clothing)






Even the respray was bright
I did think of a full pink
Yes!, the saddle is well forward there, but I'd let a friend try it for that ride








Future, at the time, bro-in-law, with me (*1*)





Mortimer Road (aka 'The Strines')
I suffered that day, as bottom gear was 42 x 21






*1. *3 of us rode; Wakefield > Denby Dale > 'Sovereign Crossroads' > New Mills > Holmfirth > Holmbridge > HolmeMoss > Woodhead Pass > Torside Road > Glossop > LadyBower > 'Strines' > Penistone > Denby Dale > Wakefield

A good friend/fellow MTB (& CX) racer came with us, riding his Kona (on slicks)
G/f of time (wife since '98) followed/'leap-frogged' in our car - mainly to make sure we didn't leave her baby brother behind somewhere


Top of Snake Pass


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## Saluki (22 Nov 2020)

Is this a feminine colour? I had never considered whether it was or not. I ride it a lot.

I don’t much like black or grey bikes. I prefer a nice shade.


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## biggs682 (23 Nov 2020)

Hell yeah


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## Tom B (23 Nov 2020)

As a teen-ager I used to have a bike that was neon yellow and pink. So I guess yes.

But what's a feminine colour?

There is a chap around here who rides a shocking pink / hot pink specialized bike. And very cool it looks too. Even if he does vye for the local legend crowns with me by doubling back and riding some segments twice or three times.


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## byegad (23 Nov 2020)

cambsno said:


> Got a test ride this weekend on an Allez 2021 model in Clay, but in the shop it looks a bit more lilac than the images suggest. Will see how ride goes but after sitting on it in shop and doing research at this price range its exactly what i want, aside from not being too keen on colour!
> 
> On the one hand, bikes are in short supply and want to get out properly as soon as possible so who cares on the colour. But for the sake of waiting a few weeks/months maybe i can get a different bike in a better colour - it is £700 or so I am spending!! Thoughts?


I didn't know that colours breed!

My favourite 2 bikes I ever owned were a pale purple. Was I ever bothered that someone might thinks they were feminine? Don't be silly.


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## Colin Grigson (23 Nov 2020)

Personally I wouldn’t ride an overly feminine coloured bike, but then I wouldn’t be tempted by some of the more exotic / lurid masculine colours either. I prefer the more sombre colours that allow me to blend to the background.


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## Richard A Thackeray (23 Nov 2020)

Wayne Randle rode as CW called it a 'baby blue' Planet X
(I think he's also had their bright pink carbon frames)

Would anyone be derogatory to him?







One of the nicest guys you could meet, till you're riding with him!

Five ways not to get dropped on the way to boggle hole | Events | News | Planet X
Who was hard at boggle hole | Events | News | Planet X
Who's hard all who got there and all who got back | Events | News | Planet X
The tale of boggle hole ride day two | Events | News | Planet X

Oh!, & I really fancied one of these 'back in the day' (still do)
I almost px-d my Pace RC100 for an Attitude


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## T4tomo (23 Nov 2020)

Are colours masculine and feminine? discuss....

or don't.

Anyway you need to be happy with colour of your bike. it is quite important.

really it needs to be celeste


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## Tom B (23 Nov 2020)

T4tomo said:


> Are colours masculine and feminine? discuss....



In German i seem to recall objects are masculine feminine and neutral Der Das and Die (not necessarily in that order) I seem to recall the masculine chairs (Der Stuhl) go under the feminine table (die tische)... Or something like that
It was about 25 years ago I learned that and I spent the rest of the lesson picking bits of my brain up as it blew my in multilingually mind.

Do colours have gender in other languages too?


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## TheDoctor (23 Nov 2020)

The best-fitting ski boots I've tried were female-specific Salomons, complete with turquoise shiny bits.
Bianchi Celeste is a lovely colour, and very very turquoise IMHO.
I don't see colours as gendered, although a pink bike would have to be candy-floss pink, or have Pink Panther stickers.


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## TheDoctor (23 Nov 2020)

byegad said:


> I didn't know that colours breed!
> 
> My favourite 2 bikes I ever owned were a pale *purple*. Was I ever bothered that someone might thinks they were feminine? Don't be silly.


I specifically sought out the previous years Dynatech 401Ti, so I could get a purple one rather than orange...


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (23 Nov 2020)

Mentioned this before on the mighty CC, when the Giro started in Belfastin 2014 a lot of NI clubs got special edition kit (inc mine) A LOT of blokes bought said special edition pink kit..

I even bought socks


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## mustang1 (23 Nov 2020)

Before the advent of market segmentation of men's and women's bikes, plenty of bikes came in colours which today's goons in the marketing department would call a feminine colour. 

Quite frankly, I really like the bright feminine colours and wish this bull crap about men's Vs women's bikes was over.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (23 Nov 2020)

mustang1 said:


> Before the advent of market segmentation of men's and women's bikes, plenty of bikes came in colours which today's goons in the marketing department would call a feminine colour.
> 
> Quite frankly, I really like the bright feminine colours and wish this bull crap about men's Vs women's bikes was over.


Yup!


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## roley poley (23 Nov 2020)

at one time rugby and football boots only came in Black or brown ..now no one minds the colours as long as they do the job


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## Landsurfer (23 Nov 2020)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Considering a build based on this frame
> 
> View attachment 540317


Love it ... My favourite colour is pink ... pink oxford shirts, my aeroplane is sprayed pink ....My favourite frame is .... Pink. 
Pink is a martial colour. The stipe on Staff officers trousers is Salmon Pink ... not red ...... 
It was the influence of the Americans during the first World War that changed the English Powder Blue for Girls, Pink for boys, Edwardian way of things ... 
Salmon Pink ... not Barbie Pink ...!!


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## Ming the Merciless (23 Nov 2020)

When I was 11 or 12 my Dad got me a second hand step through bike with a three speed sturmey archer gear. The bike would be described as a Woman’s bike. I had no issues what so ever riding it. Many an adventure.


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## Once a Wheeler (23 Nov 2020)

Tom B said:


> In German i seem to recall objects are masculine feminine and neutral Der Das and Die (not necessarily in that order) I seem to recall the masculine chairs (Der Stuhl) go under the feminine table (die tische)... Or something like that. It was about 25 years ago I learned that and I spent the rest of the lesson picking bits of my brain up as it blew my in multilingually mind. Do colours have gender in other languages too?


In my experience the perception of colour is influenced by culture. If you show a strip of paper which shades evenly from a strong blue at one end to a strong green at the other and ask people to indicate where blue changes to green, French native speakers tend to describe more of the strip as blue compared to English native speakers who tend to describe more of the strip as green. This is just my personal experience, it would be interesting to know if there has been any scientific investigation into this.


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## T4tomo (24 Nov 2020)

Tom B said:


> In German i seem to recall objects are masculine feminine and neutral Der Das and Die (not necessarily in that order) I seem to recall the masculine chairs (Der Stuhl) go under the feminine table (die tische)... Or something like that
> It was about 25 years ago I learned that and I spent the rest of the lesson picking bits of my brain up as it blew my in multilingually mind.
> 
> Do colours have gender in other languages too?


French definitely, le chien, la chat etc..... BUT.... that doesn't mean only women can have cats and men dogs etc


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## Once a Wheeler (24 Nov 2020)

T4tomo said:


> French definitely, le chien, la chat etc..... BUT.... that doesn't mean only women can have cats and men dogs etc


Take care T4! It is _le chien_ and _le chat_, both are masculine and refer to their respective animals in general. A specifically male cat, English tom-cat, is _le matou_. A specifically female cat is _la chatte_. However, be very cautious here, _chatte_ also has exactly the same colloquial meaning as the colloquial English use of the word pussy. Be warned!


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## shep (28 Nov 2020)

gavgav said:


> This is the 21st century. “Feminine” colour?


A Feminine colour is a Feminine colour surely?

All the Century has to do with it is that you now can't SAY Feminine or Girly or Wussy or a plethora of other descriptive words without being fearful of being a Bigot.

And no I wouldn't ride a Feminine coloured bike or wear a pink shirt.


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## Once a Wheeler (28 Nov 2020)

shep said:


> A Feminine colour is a Feminine colour surely?


https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/c...ou-ride-a-feminine-colour.265449/post-6094962
…and you can never go wrong with a little black dress:
View: https://www.slideshare.net/savoir-faire-kolkata/you-can-never-go-wrong-with-a-little-black-dress


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## John482 (14 Dec 2020)

No, not really. My bikes are non discript, cheap ones that blend into the back ground. I'm not a highly gendered cave man dripping testosterone but I wouldn't look right sitting on a pink bike or something.


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## derrick (14 Dec 2020)

What is a feminine colour, I have a Pink BMX.


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## Rusty Nails (17 Dec 2020)

shep said:


> A Feminine colour is a Feminine colour surely?
> 
> All the Century has to do with it is that you now can't SAY Feminine or Girly or Wussy or a plethora of other descriptive words without being fearful of being a Bigot.
> 
> And no I wouldn't ride a Feminine coloured bike or wear a pink shirt.



Am I OK with my pink/black/grey shirt, or am I just confused?


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## All uphill (17 Dec 2020)

Rusty Nails said:


> Am I OK with my pink/black/grey shirt, or am I just confused?


There needs to be some more rules about this.

You are only allowed:

Pink if you are feminine
Black if you are an undertaker
Blue for a boy
Red if you have anger problems
Purple if you are royalty
Gold if you pretend to be rich
Green if you are a gardener.

Otherwise you can wear and ride whatever colour you like.


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## Cirrus (18 Dec 2020)

If you like the colour then it shouldn't matter, connotations that other people associate with that colour are theirs to own. If one is worried about what others think then some self reflection may be in order.

Basically, I would have a bike in whatever colour I liked.


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## matticus (18 Dec 2020)

derrick said:


> What is a feminine colour, I have a Pink BMX.
> View attachment 563346


Colour doesn't matter - it's a kids bike.


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## derrick (18 Dec 2020)

matticus said:


> Colour doesn't matter - it's a kids bike.


If that's what you want to believe, that's up to you,


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## matticus (18 Dec 2020)

derrick said:


> If that's what you want to believe, that's up to you,


It's just Bantz (as the young people say. I imagine). 
x


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