I dig that yellow on blue.

Question, not trying to hijack the thread-- part of the aesthetic discussion since you raise it here, but I am facing a similar question with a marroon/reddish italian frame with yellow details. I know I want yellow bar tape, and have considered a yellow saddle to go with it, but how do you know when something is too match-matchy? The other alternative is black saddle (black hoods and cables), so I know it's always "to each his/her own" but in general, how do you know when to say when to coordinating accents?

I guess I think like a girl. Good thing. I think Velocivixen and I agreed on the last "color consultant" bicycle issue as well.

I like the matchy. matchy, matchy.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=469654

The bike has blue decals. I matched the cable housing, bottle cage, bar tape, and saddle. On other bikes I've used black, black, and black.

If I was the OP with that bike... since the OP has tan hoods... I'd look for tan tape and saddle (maybe leather). And ether tan of shiny aluminum looking cable housings. Then polish the (should be) shiny parts on the bike.

[MENTION=404122]vintagerando[/MENTION] - Well? Have you decided yet? Throw us a bone here! ;) No, seriously though, would love to see what you decided.

I like that too! And thanks for the pic, that's kind of exactly what I was wondering about and wanting to see. Very nice!

The biggest problem with doing this is not one manufacturer makes everything. You can't get the same color tape, cables, saddle, hoods, and cages from one place.

I think a black saddle and dark blue cables, cages and tape. White is nice but shows dirt too quick.

I enjoyed finding an opportunity to post the picture!

True! It can mean keeping a hunk of old handlebar tape in your wallet so you always have your color "swatch" handy. Or just taking a chance when ordering on-line... direct from China. Heck I compared three yellow fingernail polishes.... just to find the perfect yellow touch-up. I even found new old stock toe cages. Now... if I could just find a NOS vintage yellow Trek water bottle.

But this isn't my daily rider. So... my efforts will last a long, long time. And it kept me busy when the weather wasn't all that nice anyway. A lot of the old bikes I restore require a lot more effort and/or parts than this bike did. It is a labor of love... I enjoy the work.

Do I smell business opportunity?

[MENTION=358443]Dave Cutter[/MENTION] - I like the matchy. matchy, matchy.

matchy-matchy

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=469857 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=469858

matchy-matchy-matchy :lol:

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=469859


verktyg :50:

Chas.

You do it well. :thumb:

Thanks, I had some matchy-matchy cable housing too but it would have been too over the top, Besides, the white housing goes well with the white decals and brake hoods....

verktyg :50:

Bicycle Design by Mr. Charles :roflmao2:

[MENTION=355580]Velocivixen[/MENTION] no disparity towards you, I like the matchy-macthy concept and added it to my vocabulary. ;)

[MENTION=61614]verktyg[/MENTION] - I like "matchy-matchy" sometimes, but it can be challenging to get the same shade of everything. You know, for example, yellow can be cool yellow, goldenrod yellow, etc. If done well it can look nice. As an aside, we don't always have to be in agreement as that would be boring. :)

I am sure your projects always look nice! Sometimes I question my own judgment. Often times... I've cowered from my own ideas.... and just went black, black, black. And I am sure sometime black... was the best choice. I tend to lean towards the catalog picture when I can find one on-line.

Yeah, I looked at the catalog when I put my '87 Miyata One Twelve mixte back to drop bars. Specifically the cable routing - they had the cables real high. Catalogs are nice, especially if trying to find out the era specific "look".

I like to collect as many different styles and colors of tape to have on hand for projects like this. You can go through your selection and hold the tape next to the bike. My Jack Taylor International came came to me with blue tape similar to yours. I did not like it and ended up using another blue that I like better. You can see it here, the first picture shows the new tape.

1974 Jack Taylor International

Well, I am definitely going with cotton cloth, Neubaums. The colors are narrowed to the following: yellow, dark blue, red or khaki.
I don't know what to do other that buy one of each....test it against the bike. Any thoughts?