Seen flipped bars before... I just dont understand, how do they use the brakes when they're facing the wrong way like that? Wouldn't you get a self-actuating effect where as you stop your weight shifts forward thus pushing you harder into the brake levers in an uncontroled loop ending in locked up wheels or worse?

why not just get a long stem to raise the handlebars?




On the original topic:
On my oldest commuter bike I used to feel self-conscious about looking homeless; black bike looks dirty by default, milk crate basket, anti-theft spray paint
Felt a little better after giving it a little makeover, converted to modern threadless fork (with cleaner paint), started to unify colors - replace a silver bolt here and there with black ones to make the bike look less 'busy', same with accessories, made them all black as well so the bike doesnt look covered in random junk