I hate matte black bikes

BadgerOne · Oct 28, 2017

Yep, it's true. I've never been one who is very concerned with the aesthetics of my bike. Bright green or orange or yellow....fine with me. I had Gary Fisher HiFi Deluxe in some hideous light gray-blue with a white rear triangle...didn't care. Pink bike? Army green? Purple? Brown? Bring it on.

But man do I hate matte black bikes. Not only are they just ugly, matte black is the phone-it-in color of choice. No effort put into it all all. Lowest-common-denominator, troglodyte-level, cheap-as-possible finish on a machine that is supposed to represent a solid engineering and design effort. Fully murdered-out in matte black components makes it that much worse. Then it gets glossy and greasy-looking where stuff rubs. Hate, hate, hate. Had one, and although I was going to sell it anyway the biggest relief was being rid of that malignant finish. Ironically, I'm perfectly okay with gloss black.

Anyone else just really passionately hate matte black or am I completely mental?

davez26 · Oct 28, 2017

BadgerOne said:
Yep, it's true. I've never been one who is very concerned with the aesthetics of my bike. Bright green or orange or yellow....fine with me. I had Gary Fisher HiFi Deluxe in some hideous light gray-blue with a white rear triangle...didn't care. Pink bike? Army green? Purple? Brown? Bring it on.

But man do I hate matte black bikes. Not only are they just ugly, matte black is the phone-it-in color of choice. No effort put into it all all. Lowest-common-denominator, troglodyte-level, cheap-as-possible finish on a machine that is supposed to represent a solid engineering and design effort. Fully murdered-out in matte black components makes it that much worse. Then it gets glossy and greasy-looking where stuff rubs. Hate, hate, hate. Had one, and although I was going to sell it anyway the biggest relief was being rid of that malignant finish. Ironically, I'm perfectly okay with gloss black.

Anyone else just really passionately hate matte black or am I completely mental?

The matte black movement started as a 'stealth, clean finish' type of thing, then it bandwaggoned. I am with you Man. Sure, geometry and components make the bike, but colour is icing! Gloss black with accents I love, but straight matte just doesn't do it.
(Oh and root beer. Trek had a root beer colour a few years back, eeww, that was ugly)

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MSU Alum · Oct 28, 2017

No. And no.

Legbacon · Oct 28, 2017

Certainly better than "bile yellow".

bigkat273 · Oct 28, 2017

I don't care what color they are as long as they have some dirt on them.

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mack_turtle · Oct 28, 2017

Try working on a matte white bike with Magura brakes. The blue stuff really gets on everything.

I once painted my BMX frame with chalkboard paint. It looked cool for a while, but if your friends find some chalk, be prepared to ride a bike with penises drawn all over it.

slowpoker · Oct 28, 2017

mack_turtle said:
Try working on a matte white bike with Magura brakes. The blue stuff really gets on everything.

I once painted my BMX frame with chalkboard paint. It looked cool for a while, but if your friends find some chalk, be prepared to ride a bike with penises drawn all over it.

:lol:

Jayem · Oct 28, 2017

(that's some weird temporary cable setup I was using in the picture, kinda crazy looking).

BadgerOne · Oct 28, 2017

^^ Damn my eyes!!!

Nat · Oct 28, 2017

I don't hate matte black bikes but the finish sure is boring.

azimiut · Oct 28, 2017

only reason I dont like the look is thats how stolen bikes look. someone steals a high end bike, matte black paint and what bike...

or like when drifting was getting started. everyone rattle canned their cars because they kept crashing into things. new panel. matte or flat black and good as new.

Nat · Oct 28, 2017

azimiut said:
only reason I dont like the look is thats how stolen bikes look.

I thought the same.

chancellor · Oct 28, 2017

To each his own. Here is my "stolen" bike. Love the color.

GeoDon · Oct 28, 2017

Matte black is kinda lazy when thinking aesthetics or graphics.

But that powder blue! Ugh, can't do it.

Matte Black for life over that powder blue!

Harold · Oct 28, 2017

Matte black is boring, but hardly hate-worthy.

I like COLOR! And yes, I have a light blue bike (Smokey Blue Robinson 2014 Salsa Vaya).

Matte white really bothers me, too. I worked in a shop for awhile that had some bikes that came in matte white. That finish picks up scuffs and marks from everything. And cleaning it off sucks. Our usual polishing procedure did nothing for it (basically just cleaning off dust and the occasional tire scuff with some Pedro's Bike Lust). What did work was the much more expensive White Lightning Clean Streak that was usually reserved for especially nasty drivetrains.

What I dislike most, though, it when a bike manufacturer puts garish designs or color patterns on a bike. I would take a solid matte black frame over something like this any day. In fact, I'd take a solid of nearly any color over some ugly color patterns.

EricTheDood · Oct 28, 2017

BadgerOne said:
Anyone else just really passionately hate matte black or am I completely mental?

"Passionately hating" a color suggests it's time to reevaluate your priorities.

splitendz · Oct 28, 2017

Not my cup of tea either. Only way I like matte black is if it has graphics that pop (bright green, yellow, etc)

Millennial29erGuy · Oct 28, 2017

I like the most obnoxious colors available

Raleighguy29 · Oct 28, 2017

I really dig the raw finish on my riot and balance. Reminds me of my bmx days in the 80s.

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David R · Oct 28, 2017

Worst think I found with a matte black anodised bike was trying to keep it looking clean.

I hate matte black bikes

BadgerOne

davez26

MSU Alum

Legbacon

bigkat273

mack_turtle

slowpoker

Jayem

BadgerOne

Nat

azimiut

Nat

chancellor

GeoDon

Harold

EricTheDood

splitendz

Millennial29erGuy

Raleighguy29

David R

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