Fifty Plus (50+) - White bike, honey saddle?

I've been wanting to try a Professional Honey Brooks w/copper rivets and rails. How do you think it'd go on my Paramount? Maybe gumwall tires, and hoods would match. The rims are dark brown/gold annodized Matrix Open Pro CD.

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-84224226242177_1967_17524231

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/5364/1011269hq2.jpg

It will look really cool!

It'll look like a 2008 Trek Portland (http://www.trekbikes.com/ca/en/bikes/2008/urban/portland/portland/).

Do it. Complete with Brooks bartape, of course.

I like the combination, including the gum sidewalls and brake hoods. Of course, it's hard for a Paramount to look "bad" with any saddle.

I have yet to see a classic road bike that would not look better with a honey brown Brooks. And even if I were a more partial judge, that Paramount would be a perfect candidate for a dose of honey.

It'll look like a 2008 Trek Portland (http://www.trekbikes.com/ca/en/bikes/2008/urban/portland/portland/).

And I think the Portland is a nice looking bike..

I think that would look very good, plus the tape, but I think the tape goes for about $65, but that would be the finishing touch.

Beautiful. Go for it.

Any bike looks good with a Brooks Honey Brown saddle. I found the bar tape too expensive so I went for Soma "Thick and Zesty" tape in a dark tan colour. I think it looks good.
The looks of the Brooks kept me on it through the break in period (2000 kms for me). I put my old Specialized back on but it looked so darn ugly that I put the Brooks on and put up with some discomfort. (O.K. I'm shallow!)

I can't see paying more for bar tape than for a saddle. Natural color cork tape would look fine. Add shellac and it would look awesome.

I can't see paying more for bar tape than for a saddle. Natural color cork tape would look fine. Add shellac and it would look awesome.

Will the shellac get hard?

I'm trying expresso colored elksin wrap for my Raleigh that has a brown B17N (30+ years). Replacing the black B17N on the Paramount will allow me to move it to the "black sheep" Miyata. I found the latest modern saddle saved 300 grams and was not worthy of long rides - ouch.
I do have some left over shellac - I wonder where to find natural color cork tape?

You have the most incredible looking bikes of anyone. If you are thinking about it, it will look terrific. Seriously. Damn! But, maybe part of it is the nice clean hardwood floors you take the pics on....

I wonder where to find natural color cork tape?

cheap but good (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=6000129&subcategory=60001174&brand=&sku=10509&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Grips%2FBar%20Tape)

Cinelli (http://www.bikesomewhere.com/bikesomewhere.cfm/productLarge/339/2776/9655?i=default)

If you match the bar tape with that saddle, you'll have a bee a you tiful bike!

If you match the bar tape with that saddle, you'll have a bee a you tiful bike!

Here is my first attempt to stain and shellac a cork tape sample - it shows lighter in the picture.

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/3724/1011275it4.jpg

That shade on the right has got it. Go for it.

Not sure what the tape will do over time, but keep in mind that the saddle will get darker. Not that it needs to match. It just needs to compliment.

May I suggest that how your saddle will LOOK is the least important question to ask here? FWIW, I have honey brown Brookses on my orange Rambouillet and green Atlantis, and they look fine on both. But if they looked like sacks of dog doo, I'd still ride them, because they FEEL good.

Oh, I know they feel great. I have B17 and B17N and wanted to try the Professional.

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/9364/1011285mb6.jpg

Looks great! What tape did you go with?

Looks great! What tape did you go with?

It's natural cork tape (nashbar $8) stained with wood stain and coated with shellac. I expect the shellac may crinkle & have ordered some elkskin leather wraps from veloorange just in case.

I'll post some better pictures tomorrow when I can take them in sunshine. I also mounted some gumwall tires. They don't look better but don't distract from the saddle and bar tape.

I think it looks mighty sweet!!!