Debusama

Why would you waste time and effort trying to impress the kinds of petty children who would even notice that your stem and bars don't match?

bianchi10

Because I feel the need for acceptance everywhere I go

I guess I have this need to have things match. looks like it is on purpose instead of just thrown together.

Scooper

When I first built up my main ride in 2007, I used the Campy Record CF seatpost that came with the Record group. Everything else on the bike was silver, and the black seatpost just offended my aesthetic sensibility. It wasn't for anybody else, but after looking at this glaring incongruity for six months, I replaced the seatpost with a silver Thomson Elite.

I'm much happier now.

manutd

But if the colours are the same or the colours match isn't that what matters? when you put an outfit on your jeans, shirt, shoes, belt etc all have to match but not be made by the same company. Shouldn't this apply here as well? shouldn't your seat have to match then as well? where does it end?

bianchi10

I dont know where it ends for me. If I am wearing billabong swim shorts, I hate wearing a quicksilver shirt. Cross branding is something I have always hated doing. Its not a matter of simply having clack stem, black bars, black seatpost. IF the stem and seatpost had the brand names wiped off (I have heard a couple people use chemicals to take them off) it wouldn't be as big of an issue. its the fact of having two different name brands. obviously not the same thing, but I view it as if you have one boyd rear wheel and a zipp front wheel.

jtwilson

bianchi10,

Don't let the nay-sayers distract you from the real issue at hand here:

Trust your gut. The diligent, painstaking and methodical selection of components based on a thorough evaluation of every facet of their merit for your steed reflects your passion for this pursuit. Further, if you do indeed identify as a person passionate about cycling, your build choices in this way reveal a deeper aspect of your identity than is normally on display to members of the cycling community - an extension of your soul, if you will. You obviously identify as a passionate cyclist, so you owe it to yourself not to sell yourself short with a bike that you don't feel accurately represents your passion and appreciation for this pursuit. As I see it, this is the conceptual purpose of the quintessential "Bike #1". The parts fitting for the bike; the bike fitting for its owner.

That said, I agree with above posters that color takes precedence over brand, but that's pretty obvious, as is your concern with a higher level of sophistication than mere color coordination. Ultimately the brand-matching thing is more about making sure the bike looks fantastic, well thought out, and consistent than some ignorant insistence that a certain brand validates a big ego trip. It is indeed a valid criteria, it's just up to the individual to decide how important it is to them in the context of any particular component choice. Keep on soul searching, and your patience will pay off.

Bradleykd

But neither of them match the brand of your bike.... ahhhhhhhh!!!!

chaadster

I think I've become more stupid from reading this thread.

milkbaby

The ultimate compliment...

Your bike is an expression of part of your personality. Even if you don't care what it looks like, that still shows that you don't care what it looks like...

Jaymadd

+100

bianchi10

Well said! thank you

Velo Dog

No, I'm uncool.

dalava

I use 3t Pro level stem, bar, and seatpost on all of my bikes. Problem solved. They are rock solid and in neutral black and white color that almost go with any color bike.

Yes, I am OCD, and I don't care what other think. The bike has to past me first, and I can't stand mismatching brand, color, performance level.

manutd

Quick question for the OP.

I rememeber you were doing a lot of switching out of components on the bike when you first got it. do you have it all set up with the same 'level' and branding on your shifters, crank, brakes, derailleurs and pedals?

for example...on my bike every one of those are Shimano Ultegra. (my bars, seat post, stem and saddle are all Specialized) so I seem to meet the requirements you set out but I couldn't remember what your full set up is.

If you go ZIPP on the front and seat post you need to rock ZIPP carbon cages too right? (and probably wheels but you've already said no to that)

https://www.amazon.com/Zipp-Speed-Wea.../dp/B002BJMRV8

I don't think chain and cassette matter because no one can tell (this isn't a performance issue)

Mike F

What would you do if you were on a date with a supermodel and the carpet didnt match the drapes?

Rekless1

Not brand centric at all, in fact if at all possible, branding...logos....whatever...get taken off all parts.

But I do match colors when applicable and carbon "appearance" ( weave/finish) when possible.

cale

Don't you like to grab the tops of the bars to pull against when you're climbing?

Drag

You think?

cale

I disagree. I I think you feel that if everything matches everyone should accept you wherever you go. But this is the weakness in your philosophy. Many, if not most, of the folks you will meet could care less about what you ride or wear. And the folks that a really worth getting to know will want to know who you are, beyond the superficial identity provided by some brand.

Deep, huh?

catonec 

not really, never have. Im on the hoods while climbing.

vermilionx

i only ride with people with CF frames... or Ti, or high grade bamboo.

BigJeff

What level of Campy do you have?

catonec 

record 9 crank/BB/shifters
chorus 9 brakes/deraileurs/cassette
campy 2005 zonda wheelset

all ebay scores, slightly used. I rebuilt the rear shifter.

bianchi10

On my ridley I had full ultegra all the way around. When i switched everything over the ultegra FD clamp didn't want to fit right without me forcing it. I didn't want to risk scratching the paint by forcing it, plus the 105 that came with it had a black clamp vs the aluminum clamp on the ultegra. So i decided to leave the 105 on. The ultegra crankset could have moved over but I left it on for 2 reasons. 1) I didn't want to buy the adapter to make it fit with the BB30 because buying the bike and paying for the cables and adjustments tapped me out financially. 2)I didn't want to pay the extra to have it swapped out with the gossamer it came with since I dont have the tools necassary to do so it would have cost about $50. So I'm stuck with the gossamer till i can afford a new crankset. I'm currently running thomson seatpost (Not in the pics since I was able to talk my friend into giving it back to me and I gave him one of my spares that was sitting around but was to short for me), thomson stem and.....Ritchey pro evo carbon bars. (Not matching, which is why I'm looking at new set). I was thinking about going with those zipp cages also, but also thought about the boyd carbon cages which would match the wheels.


and MikeF....I'm married bro and the drapes dont match the carpet because she runs hardwood floors

Cookiemonsta

I can imagine that someone cares about what his bike looks like. So do I, and so do most people.

Just like I care about what my clothes look like, what my car looks like etc.

But the main difference is that I care what they look like because I care about what I , myself, think of it. I wear clothes I like, drive a car I like and paint my walls in a color I like. I am like that with my bikes too. I dont think about what I ought to do, but rather I go for what I myself find aesthetically pleasing.

Out in the real world, I dont think anyone is seriously going to inspect your bike and scrutinize you for it. If they do, I think you should not care. In my experience the only thing in sports that leaves an impression ( in any sport ) is how good you are. Do not be too self-conscious. Do what comes naturally, and focus on performance.

You may be better off with rollers, a professional bike fit, a new set of thermal base layers for winter and all sorts of other things that gives you the opportunity to become a better cyclist. I know people that spend a lot of money on cosmetical upgrades (they are real upgrades, that is just not the reason they buy them), where there are a ton of things they would be better off with. They are just not as visible and thus, not worth their money. Or at least that is what they think.