powerhouse

There's something I just don't quite understand. Perhaps some of you can clarify.

Whenever I've gone to a bicycle shop to purchase a bicycle or related accessories (e.g. wind jackets, rain jackets, bike shoes, helmets, etc.), the items for sale usually come in a wide array of designs and colors that are visible and pleasing to the eye. However, I've noticed that some of the same bicycles and accessories that were painted quite differently - camouflage.

There are some good reasons for camouflage gear. The military and some government agencies use it for various purposes. Some different camouflage patterns have appeared as a new fashion. But for bicyclists? If you're trying to avoid being a "Fred" or some kind of dork, there are other colors one can wear. Might wearing camouflage be asking for trouble?

I just don't understand why that type of marketing strategy has been explored. I look forward to your replies.

P.S. GUN NUT-JOBS NEED NOT REPLY.

DX Rider

Every few years it seems like camoflauge clothing becomes fashionable to a certain extent. Lately, I've noticed a few people wearing it casually. I think it's just part of that trend coming back around again.

Personally, having been in the military, I find camoflauge clothing to be ugly as hell.

ontologik

It's fashion, get over it.

GTALuigi

aye, exactly just that.

my bike by default came from factory in camo-green
i didn't like it at first, but then i grew into it, then i threw in my own custom triangle frame bag in camogear colours, and it was simply WOW! fantastic, people loved it, every was asking me, where you got it? where you got it?
... and when they hear i made it myself, then they are like... aww... can you make me one? ... me? hell no, too much effort LOL

measure, cut, get materials, sew together the parts, etc, etc.... not worth it even if you pay me $100 per piece.

if it wasn't for myself i wouldn't even have bothered.

anyways that little thing, enhanced the bike ten folds, even cops and military people driving by checks it out, and thinks wonder if i'm really from the military

MMACH 5

Why would camo be asking for trouble?

BarracksSi

It's made to hide in plain sight, so to speak, and hiding while riding keeps the rider from being seen.

But anyway -- why camo? It's fashion. If it gets more people on bikes, then it's fine by me.

Wordbiker

He's stereotyping anyone wearing camo as a "gun nut-job"...or perhaps worse, being mistaken as one.

If you're going to pick on camo, at least single out "urban" camo...




or heaven forbid...pink camo.



Believe me, considering how many hunters are in the woods that could mistake me for an elk, the last thing I want to wear is camouflage while riding.

MMACH 5

It's made to hide in similar patterned surroundings, like in the woods, not on the streets. If it were the color of concrete and blacktop, then maybe it would be an issue. But green, tan, black and brown wouldn't be any harder to see on the streets than say, a Cervelo jersey (or any of the other dark-colored kits).

I'm not a fan of camo. In fact, I wear hi-vis almost exclusively. I just don't think camo is less visible than many other kits I've seen.

BarracksSi

I think that regular green/brown camo looks like vegetation; someone walking in full camo (not unusual in some areas around here, especially near the Pentagon) looks like a walking bush. The gray and desert patterns work pretty well in urban environments, too.

I wasn't even thinking of the political side of it. In the city, anyway, anti-military types seem to wear camo more often than most former military.

Bionicycle

Oh no… I hope my wife doesn’t find out about this, she has been wanting a camouflage bike for some time now. She has an old vintage schwinn that she has threatened to, on several occasions, get camouflage tape and wrap the frame completely with it. My wife absolutely loves to Deer hunt, so for her it would be more of a statement of identity than anything else… For her it would be like… yeah I’m a woman, and I love to hunt, big deal, so who asked what you think…

GuttingJob

Camo is my favourite colour.

bhop

Pretty much what he said.

Panthers007

It's not a question of getting more people on bikes. It's a possible cause for getting people on bikes on the grills of Mack trucks.

MrPhil

One of my bikes is a 25 year-old Ritchey Commando. Guess what the original paint job is. That's right, green forest camo. Even the CrMo bullmoose bars are camo. Tom did it as a joke. I laughed and bought one. Ritchey did a lot of custom paint at that time including Sky Camo (blues and white) and Poufaflage (pinks and white). They were very cool. Everything old is new again.

By the way I'm a GUN NUT-JOB AND I'M REPLYING!

GTALuigi

uhhh!!!! i like that bike, specially those super sized tires!!!

Zan

think of the rolling resistance. I think it's geared 22-34.

BarracksSi

Rolling resistance? Think of the momentum -- I'd think that only a brick wall could stop it.

vettefrc2000

Consider this equation:

Camouflage = Military = Veterans.

Millions have served and many more than that are related to people who served,

It's patriotic.

chephy

Camo = "tough" image.

Panthers007

Actually a brick wall won't stop much. We - my Yippie-Gang - drove through a brick wall, in a car, and into a warehouse in New York City. It only cracked the windshield. And the cops chasing us stopped dead in their tracks.

powerhouse

I don't have anything against those who wear camouflage. I understand it as a fashion statement for clothing.

The camouflage I noticed on the bicycles and accessories was either straight olive-green or forest green-brown.

What I'm trying to say is, as was pointed out in earlier posts, that camouflage helps a person hide in plain sight. If someone is riding along on an olive-green or green-brown bicycle with kit of same color,
he or she is less likely to be noticed, especially by people who need to notice him/her. This would particularly be so if the color of the camouflage blends into the environment that he or she is riding in. Since bicyclists are less likely to be noticed in full kit of this type, this increases the likelihood that they could wind up as hood ornaments. That is what I meant that having camouflage for a color of a bicycle kit might be asking for trouble.

G60

you're overthinking it.

a cyclist in 'camouflage' isn't going to blend in with anything.

grays/lighter blues are probably the most dangerous of any colors for a cyclist to wear during the day.

Cyclaholic

Forget cammo, I want the tactical gear that Jack Bower wears in 24. I see some dude walking like he had a purpose while wearing that gear and I'm getting well outta his way!

Wordbiker

Yeah, I dig it too, but for the purposes of showing how silly "urban" camouflage might be...it worked. That bike is pretty flashy, and the cool factor comes from the utility. Wider tires are desirable on a snow bike. With 100mm rims to spread out those Endomorph tires...it has float on snow all day long.

Nermal

You got that right. I won't even wear khaki.