To decal or not to decal that is the question ?

[silverclaws]

I gave my Stumpjumper a single colour powder coat ("gris agathe") and left it plain:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=365376

I think it looks fine. When I had the work done I was more interested in a tough, inexpensive finish, and having decals applied professionally and lacquered over would have nearly doubled the cost.

The fork isn't original to the frame, so I felt that adding decals would somehow be labeling the whole as something that it's not, and I don't think the '92 decals would particularly suit the bike. I'm not planning to enter BotM any time soon, and when I'm riding the bike I'm not looking at the frame in any case.

Allard's S-Works also looks fine in dark grey with no decals:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/mai ... emId=85040

Perhaps some flat colours work better than others.

You're a metalworker. Have you considered a flat colour with a discreet custom headbadge?

Yep, the way it is going, an aluminium or white metal GT on the front, and etched out, polished and laquered GT on the end of the pierced top tube. Flat colour yes, well the plans are the original colour with no decals or if I decide othewise, understated black decals - GT All Terra -on purple, or if I can afford it at some point, a purple candy paint, as I just love the effect of light on that stuff.

No decals because, well, because it's a GT and GT have their frame design to say what it is, as to model, that is irrelevant with me, because I always upgrade and modify with my own ideas.

My last ATB and my first were both Saracens, they were that to me, not a Traverse Elite or a Tufftrax Elite, because they had deviated from the original specification so as not to be what their model name said they were.

The bottom line, I personalise everything, customise things to suit my taste, not others and I certainly don't want to advertise to the dishonest and failing theft or loss by other means, I don't plan to get rid of my bikes, so they are personal to me, not to please potential future customers, as lets face it retrobikes although they have a following, they don't exactly bring in big bucks unless one has an exotic to sell.

I make things to my taste for me, not others and then I use in the knowledge I have created the best that I can for me to enjoy. If other's like my ride, cool, if not, no problem as it is mine, not theirs.

But, am I right in detecting a certain amount of what could be described as snobbery towards manufacturer's model names, in that I read others raving about upper end models, but very, very rarely lower end models, when it is most lower end model names on here seem to get upograded anyway, so they are not what they started out to be. Are we guilty of judging books by their original cover ?

But alas we are in a names society, we judge worth by names, so perhaps it is not our fault.

 

[andrewl]

But a bike, a retrobike without decals attractive or not or do the decals make the bike ?

Some decals are very pretty and suit the bike. For example a Yo Eddy without decals would look rather odd in my opinion.

Others though can be left very understated and yet still work. I have one suspension frame which came from the factory in stealth black with black decals, yet is instantly recognisable by those in the know and leaves others scratching their heads even when they read the brand name.

So really it all comes down to the bike in question, although it must be said that if the decals make the bike, its not likely to be much of a rider...

 

[petitpal]

But, am I right in detecting a certain amount of what could be described as snobbery towards manufacturer's model names, in that I read others raving about upper end models, but very, very rarely lower end models, when it is most lower end model names on here seem to get upograded anyway, so they are not what they started out to be. Are we guilty of judging books by their original cover ?

I don't think that it's always the case that the only difference between two bikes is groupset though - upper end frames are often, as far as I am aware anyway, lighter and better handling than cheaper ones from the same manufaturer. The top end Saracens, for example, had much better frames (tubing, etc) than my MaxTrax and even though I upgraded it like crazy bitd (didn't we all) the frame is what it is - heeeeavy. Personally I wouldn't want a higher end Saracen as a replacement because my MaxTrax was my first bike and I have a huge soft spot for it. Quite a few people also buy their bikes as a frame (I did my Zaskar LE for example) - so I don't think it's quite right to define a particular model as only being that model if it adheres to the manufacturer's spec.

Like a few people have said - I just like the look of the decals. But I guess it's all down to personal preference.

 

[Austin Dave]

I think it's situational. If you've restored the bike, then by all means, finish it out with decals.

I was going to add the early Zaskar decals to my bike. But I really started to like the way it looked nekkid. I don't care for the flashy font of the early Zaskar decals. And this was an updated bike, not a restoration.

And I figure too, that people who know what the bike is will recognize it anyway (and some do), and people who wouldn't recognize it without decals don't need to be tempted to take it. Maybe that's a little to paranoid for this bike, but I'd hate to lose it.