Touring - Touring bikes dull colors?

I just purchased a Rocky Mountain Sherpa 30 this spring and while I was shopping around I
noticed that almost all the touring bikes came in unflattering colors. Is there a reason for this?
I would also like to hear what other Sherpa owners had to say about the bike.

If they aren't flashy, they might be less likely to attract thieves.

This thread, rocky mountain sherpa 30 (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=251875), has some great pictures and comments. It seems like an awesome bike. I hope you enjoy it.

I've always gotten the feeling that the marketing mavens out there work with the assumption that tourers are a more conservative group than cyclists in general. Probably has a lot to do with our being less impressed with every new development that comes down the road, every new style in frame, etc.

Hell, most of us are still riding steel frames, some of us are riding old lugged ones! And our rims are most likely box cross-section without loud advertising decals all over them. And I've yet to find a tourer painted up like a pro team bike.

So, given that the manufacturers are keeping the styles conservative for fear of turning off a prospective purchaser, it's only logical that the colors would be conservative, too. Let's face it, our bikes are the equivalent of a Lincoln Town Car, not a BMW M3.

Must be the current crop...most of my touring bikes have been bright colored. First one was a yellow Motobecane, second was a custom built Bob Jackson bright red with ivory panels, third is a Giant Excursion in purple. My expedition tour bike is a red Giant Iguana with bright yellow graphics and yellow Freddy Fenders:p It seems that outside of the cruisers, most stock bikes are mundane dull colors.:(

Aaron:)

Thanks for the response and the thread about sherpa bikes. I really enjoy reading the advice at
this forum!

I dunno about "unflattering". The Surly LHT in olive green is just gorgeous. Less fond of the baby blue Kona Sutra.

Steve

If they aren't flashy, they might be less likely to attract thieves.

.

+1

That is the reason my Thorn is matt black

george

My Burley looks like it is black until it is in the sunlight and then it is green with a gold metal flake undercoat. Most people think it is just another black bike.

So you probably would not favor a Surly Karate Monkey in "Skid mark brown"??