The Monotonous Use of Carbon Components
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 126
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 65 Post(s)
Liked 103 Times
in
46 Posts
The Monotonous Use of Carbon Components
Is anyone growing tired of the abundance of bikes coming with carbon component
everything and if not carbon, components that are just black on black.
I can’t seem to escape it. I thought Shimano was on a great path releasing a limited edition polished GRX group set back in the day but that may have been the last pretty set.
Hell, even Campagnolo doesn’t offer anything polished besides their entry level group.
Do you think bikes will ever come back to polished components or are we stuck in this dark black/gray carbon era.
everything and if not carbon, components that are just black on black.
I can’t seem to escape it. I thought Shimano was on a great path releasing a limited edition polished GRX group set back in the day but that may have been the last pretty set.
Hell, even Campagnolo doesn’t offer anything polished besides their entry level group.
Do you think bikes will ever come back to polished components or are we stuck in this dark black/gray carbon era.
Last edited by Yelbom15; 01-19-23 at 10:51 AM.
Likes For Yelbom15:
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,854
Bikes: Colnago, Van Dessel, Factor, Cervelo, Ritchey
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3204 Post(s)
Liked 5,749 Times
in
2,315 Posts
Is anyone growing tired of the abundance of bike’s coming with carbon component
everything and if not carbon, components that are just black on black.
I can’t seem to escape it. I thought Shimano was on a great path releasing a limited edition polished GRX group set back in the day but that may have been the last pretty set.
Hell, even Campagnolo doesn’t offer anything polished besides their entry level group.
Do you think bikes will ever come back to polished components or are we stuck in this dark black/gray carbon era.
everything and if not carbon, components that are just black on black.
I can’t seem to escape it. I thought Shimano was on a great path releasing a limited edition polished GRX group set back in the day but that may have been the last pretty set.
Hell, even Campagnolo doesn’t offer anything polished besides their entry level group.
Do you think bikes will ever come back to polished components or are we stuck in this dark black/gray carbon era.
Likes For tomato coupe:
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 126
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 65 Post(s)
Liked 103 Times
in
46 Posts
tomato coupe
I’ll hold you to it!

#4
Guest
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 2,888
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1346 Post(s)
Liked 3,267 Times
in
1,438 Posts
Learn to like black or develop an appreciation for older gear, I guess. Carbon isn’t going away.
My two oldest bikes have silver parts, and I really prefer the look. Black parts look ‘okay’ on the others, though; I can’t see most of them when I’m riding, anyway.
My two oldest bikes have silver parts, and I really prefer the look. Black parts look ‘okay’ on the others, though; I can’t see most of them when I’m riding, anyway.
Last edited by Rolla; 01-17-23 at 11:41 PM.
#5
Friendship is Magic
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 21,807
Bikes: old ones
Mentioned: 300 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24815 Post(s)
Liked 8,599 Times
in
6,003 Posts
....Henry Ford did this for cars, until some marketing genius figured out you could sell more cars if you offered them in colors, and chromed the bumpers. But you could buy 14 steel bikes from the 80's that are worth $1,000 each, instead of one new $14,000 bike. Then you can start a thread on whether they are really worth that much.
__________________
Likes For 3alarmer:
#6
QR-disc must die!!!
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Shenandoah Valley, Northern Virginia.
Posts: 703
Bikes: '99 Trek 520, '20 Kona Sutra (FOR SALE 48cm), '21 Simon-Bikes mini-velo and a chromoly-framed folding bicycle with drop-bars and V-brakes, that rolls even while folded.
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 396 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 196 Times
in
144 Posts
Definitely. When black spokes became ubiquitous, that's where I drew the line. On my recent bicycle piece-up, I choose silver for any part that's available in it.
A couple years ago I had a wheel professionally built. The old pro wheelbuilder told me that it might be hard to obtain the silver spokes that I was requesting. "Everyone wants black", he said, to which I replied "Not anymore! Now everyone is starting to want silver again", as if I had my finger on the pulse of bicycle trends. The reality, of course, is that the bicycle industry drives the fashion (similar to car/industry).
A couple years ago I had a wheel professionally built. The old pro wheelbuilder told me that it might be hard to obtain the silver spokes that I was requesting. "Everyone wants black", he said, to which I replied "Not anymore! Now everyone is starting to want silver again", as if I had my finger on the pulse of bicycle trends. The reality, of course, is that the bicycle industry drives the fashion (similar to car/industry).
Likes For Nyah:
#7
Full Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: San Diego, California USA
Posts: 235
Bikes: 1974 Masi GC, 1982 Trek 728 (aka 720), 1992 Trek Multitrack 750
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 78 Post(s)
Liked 132 Times
in
84 Posts
I will just sit back and bide my time until my little collection of 70's and 80's double butted, lugged bikes and silver components become fashionable again and then who's gonna have the last laugh. Ha Ha Ha <evil laugh>
Likes For HelpSingularity:
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 3,986
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1633 Post(s)
Liked 1,722 Times
in
992 Posts
For proof, there's the "Are you looking for one of these?" thread in the Classic & Vintage forum. Prices for classic butted-steel bikes are generally much lower than they were five years ago. Comparatively few of those bikes would have been bought on impulse during the COVID lockdown, so the downtick in their prices doesn't represent situational volatility.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,082
Mentioned: 35 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6367 Post(s)
Liked 9,856 Times
in
4,236 Posts
Silver components (stems, handlebars, seatposts, cranksets, spokes, hubs) are out there...OP just needs to look.
Also, there is tremendous variety of other anodized colors on some components - particularly headsets, seatposts, hubs.
Also, there is tremendous variety of other anodized colors on some components - particularly headsets, seatposts, hubs.
#10
Senior Member
Likes For prj71:
#11
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 15,601
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 120 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9990 Post(s)
Liked 6,386 Times
in
3,644 Posts
Is anyone growing tired of the abundance of bike’s coming with carbon component
everything and if not carbon, components that are just black on black.
I can’t seem to escape it. I thought Shimano was on a great path releasing a limited edition polished GRX group set back in the day but that may have been the last pretty set.
Hell, even Campagnolo doesn’t offer anything polished besides their entry level group.
Do you think bikes will ever come back to polished components or are we stuck in this dark black/gray carbon era.
everything and if not carbon, components that are just black on black.
I can’t seem to escape it. I thought Shimano was on a great path releasing a limited edition polished GRX group set back in the day but that may have been the last pretty set.
Hell, even Campagnolo doesn’t offer anything polished besides their entry level group.
Do you think bikes will ever come back to polished components or are we stuck in this dark black/gray carbon era.
Black components are a long standing trend. If you dont like that color for components, buy some anodized components or silver components. These will be aftermarket since the already mentioned longstanding trend is black components.
Likes For mstateglfr:
#12
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 12,561
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Mentioned: 277 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3505 Post(s)
Liked 3,714 Times
in
1,791 Posts
Ride your art. It might be a master piece - or not. YMMV
Silver?


Silver?



Likes For Wildwood:
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Posts: 3,572
Bikes: 1989 Cinelli Supercorsa
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2139 Post(s)
Liked 1,743 Times
in
1,062 Posts
Yeah, black parts--whether carbon or just black--are just plain butt-ugly. Bike parts stopped being good looking after the Dura Ace 7700 group.
Likes For smd4:
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,969
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1166 Post(s)
Liked 1,120 Times
in
655 Posts
Thing is- carbon fiber can be any color! It's like fiber glass. You can put any color gelcoat on it. And in any event, the natural carbon fiber will fade in the sun eventually. Whereas a baked in color can last much longer. TVT92 carbon tubes frame:

#15
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 126
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 65 Post(s)
Liked 103 Times
in
46 Posts
I definitely know there are silver components out there such as the Ritchey Classic line, Thomson and Phil but is that it? I guess I was referring to todays modern day retail bikes or even modern bikes equipped with thru axle and disc brake only set up nowadays. The only polished thru-axle wheelset was HED Emporias that are no longer made(beautiful set if you ask me). It’s just a bummer seeing bikes on group rides all equipped with carbon and black. And everything going proprietary internally routed stems/handlebars, seat posts and so forth may have something to do with it as well.
Likes For Yelbom15:
#16
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 12,561
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Mentioned: 277 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3505 Post(s)
Liked 3,714 Times
in
1,791 Posts

(not a criticism, only observation)
I think Mick sang it out decades ago - You can't always get what you want, but you'll find sometimes = you (can) get what you need!

#17
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 15,601
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 120 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9990 Post(s)
Liked 6,386 Times
in
3,644 Posts
You have now posted up 4 pictures and all the bikes plus components are well over 3 decades old, with a few well older than 4 decades. What do these have to do with the OP's comments abput current modern components?
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Hacienda Hgts
Posts: 1,847
Bikes: 1999 Schwinn Peloton Ultegra 10, Kestrel RT-1000 Ultegra, Trek Marlin 6 Deore 29'er
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 722 Post(s)
Liked 1,664 Times
in
819 Posts
There is something regal about silver quill stems in the above pics.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Posts: 3,572
Bikes: 1989 Cinelli Supercorsa
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2139 Post(s)
Liked 1,743 Times
in
1,062 Posts
Likes For smd4:
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Posts: 3,572
Bikes: 1989 Cinelli Supercorsa
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2139 Post(s)
Liked 1,743 Times
in
1,062 Posts
Likes For smd4:
#21
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 12,561
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Mentioned: 277 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3505 Post(s)
Liked 3,714 Times
in
1,791 Posts
General Cycling speaking = some seek silver, seems an accurate observation.
I post silver, with a Jagger disclaimer re not what you want.
Obtuse perhaps, but potentially relevant and not disparaging.
edit: Pictured examples are anything but monotonous.
Roll On!
I post silver, with a Jagger disclaimer re not what you want.
Obtuse perhaps, but potentially relevant and not disparaging.
edit: Pictured examples are anything but monotonous.
Roll On!
Last edited by Wildwood; 01-18-23 at 11:50 AM.
#22
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 12,561
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Mentioned: 277 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3505 Post(s)
Liked 3,714 Times
in
1,791 Posts
Likes For Wildwood:
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Mich
Posts: 6,466
Bikes: RSO E-tire dropper fixie brifter
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Liked 2,343 Times
in
1,565 Posts
it could be steel or aluminum, but then it would likely contain a dark coating. At least carbon is lighter weight...
__________________
-Oh Hey!
-Oh Hey!
#24
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 15,601
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 120 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9990 Post(s)
Liked 6,386 Times
in
3,644 Posts
Likes For mstateglfr:
#25
Senior Member
Should I throw away my black aluminum stem cap and replace it with a black carbon stem cap from ENVE that costs $120? It might be worth it because it is 0.015 grams lighter.
Hey, that could be the subject for a new thread!
Hey, that could be the subject for a new thread!