On looking at all these old(er) bikes, you know, one thing stands out to me...the aesthetics of the finish.
A consistant smile maker in the unveiling of all these machines seems to be the paint jobs and respective graphics being so much nicer and more aesthetically pleasing than modern ideas of taste and appearance.
Now I know that makes me sound like an old fogie (and I'd agree with that) but I'd also consider myself a bike aesthete and I just can't help thinking it's about time it all came round again.
Plain, glossy good primary colours with simple tasteful typefaces for logos and all wording/ branding to be in proportion to the frame. That last rule seems so crucial to me too.
I know frames are getting bigger and bigger with their abuse proof (or at least appearance of abuse proof) tubes, but the branding has got so ghastly, (hideous graphics for the sake of hideous graphics), but making the logos even bigger just compounds the problem.
The answer for those of us that want a modern ride (and a retro rig), is to re-appropriate a retro bike and or buy custom - a sparcely populated land of a few likeminded souls, where sense and taste still appear intact.
At least it all keeps our little world special and desirable and rarer by the year, but it makes for a greyer, matt paintier, 'core'ier, jumpy world. And I for one think the world is jumpy enough.
Here's to the Orange Orange's and the Mango M2's and the apple green Fat's of this world - I salute you.
A consistant smile maker in the unveiling of all these machines seems to be the paint jobs and respective graphics being so much nicer and more aesthetically pleasing than modern ideas of taste and appearance.
Now I know that makes me sound like an old fogie (and I'd agree with that) but I'd also consider myself a bike aesthete and I just can't help thinking it's about time it all came round again.
Plain, glossy good primary colours with simple tasteful typefaces for logos and all wording/ branding to be in proportion to the frame. That last rule seems so crucial to me too.
I know frames are getting bigger and bigger with their abuse proof (or at least appearance of abuse proof) tubes, but the branding has got so ghastly, (hideous graphics for the sake of hideous graphics), but making the logos even bigger just compounds the problem.
The answer for those of us that want a modern ride (and a retro rig), is to re-appropriate a retro bike and or buy custom - a sparcely populated land of a few likeminded souls, where sense and taste still appear intact.
At least it all keeps our little world special and desirable and rarer by the year, but it makes for a greyer, matt paintier, 'core'ier, jumpy world. And I for one think the world is jumpy enough.
Here's to the Orange Orange's and the Mango M2's and the apple green Fat's of this world - I salute you.