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The problem with all white bikes

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Old 08-16-11 | 09:50 AM
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The problem with all white bikes

I think all white bikes look cool and all, but last night, I saw one out of the corner of my eye on the way home, and suddenly had an "oh crap" did someone else die here moment. The thing is, I see that (or a very similar) bike near that location at least once a week and I often have that same brief ghost bike moment. So yeah, while I think the look is neat, they freak me out when I see them parked somewhere and I'd appreciate seeing less of them.
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Old 08-16-11 | 10:02 AM
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(My bike is white )
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Old 08-16-11 | 10:03 AM
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Well there you have it
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Old 08-16-11 | 10:22 AM
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I bet you love all black bikes huh? HOW RACIST.
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Old 08-16-11 | 10:31 AM
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In before "That's racist" gif from Scrod
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Old 08-16-11 | 10:39 AM
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So I guess I'm the only one who sees an all white bike chained up somewhere and automatically thinks "ghost bike"? My bad. Carry on then.
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Old 08-16-11 | 10:47 AM
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Yeah, the ghost thing is a little weird. Do you ever see genuine ghost bikes and are they in fact white as well? All the ghost bikes I've ever seen were bianchi celeste.
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Old 08-16-11 | 09:20 PM
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both uber sick bikes, but unrideable because they're ghost bikes
i wish they sold them as framesets in a black color scheme.
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Old 08-16-11 | 09:23 PM
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Old 08-16-11 | 09:39 PM
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I believe OP is jelly of white bikes

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Old 08-16-11 | 10:07 PM
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What the flying **** are you talking about? WTF is a ghost bike?
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Old 08-16-11 | 10:10 PM
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It is a cultural phenomena, predominantly in the US, to place a bike fully spray-painted in white, where someone was killed while riding. Typically, it is a kids bike, just as a gesture of some kind of memorial. I personally, don't have a problem with it.

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Old 08-16-11 | 10:31 PM
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it's a ghost bike bra
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Old 08-16-11 | 10:34 PM
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the only thing that sucks is that it takes some of the impact away from a real ghost bike.

but dammit a real ghost bike should have a big nice smiley picture of the victim above it, always, so **** it. ride more bikes! doesn't matter what color they are or aren't.
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Old 08-16-11 | 10:40 PM
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Originally Posted by 14R
It is a cultural phenomena, predominantly in the US, to place a bike fully spray-painted in white, where someone was killed while riding. Typically, it is a kids bike, just as a gesture of some kind of memorial. I personally, don't have a problem with it.
Thanks for the clarification. I haven't seen it but I clearly misunderstood the OP.
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Old 08-16-11 | 11:51 PM
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I have a Kilo White Stripper. I think I'm going to go all silver/chrome on it except for the saddle and bar tape. I was almost gonna go all white but I figured people would make fun of me.
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Old 08-17-11 | 04:05 AM
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Originally Posted by csj0952
I have a Kilo White Stripper. I think I'm going to go all silver/chrome on it except for the saddle and bar tape. I was almost gonna go all white but I figured people would make fun of me.
Good to know you mod your bike for other people!
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Old 08-17-11 | 04:31 AM
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Originally Posted by prooftheory
Thanks for the clarification. I haven't seen it but I clearly misunderstood the OP.
+1. I thought the OP was a troll and/or crazy. "Ghost bike" sounds like something from Scooby-Doo.
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Old 08-17-11 | 05:08 AM
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the ghost bikes I've seen around here are usually lower end adult bikes entirely spray painted white. Maybe it's the fact that I pass a real one on my way home every day that makes me think about it more than most. True it does have flowers in the wheels and used to have candles all around it and a prayer on a board above it that regular white bikes don't have, but whenever I see a flash of one out of the corner of my eye it's where my thoughts first go. Sorry, thought it was a more universal thing than just in my little corner of the world.
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Old 08-17-11 | 05:20 AM
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I always thought so too. I'm amazed at how many people - especially those in bigger cities - haven't heard of ghost bikes.
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Old 08-17-11 | 05:44 AM
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I had never seen nor heard of a ghost bike until I saw this thread. I live in Atlanta. Maybe it is not something that has spread every where. I have 4 bikes myself, though, and it just happens that two are white. I like that they are highly visible, especially the newer white bike, it seems to have a fluorescence built into the paint, it absolutely has a ghostly glow at night! But I like the idea that since I already have two ghost bikes, perhaps there will never be the need to have one left on the side of the road for me!
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Old 08-17-11 | 06:39 AM
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Looks pretty widespread to me:

https://ghostbikes.org/

https://ghostbikes.org/locations
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Old 08-17-11 | 06:47 AM
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Ghost bike movement has co-opted the all-white colourway! We must take it back, reclaim it for our own fashionable ends!
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Old 08-17-11 | 10:28 AM
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Originally Posted by 14R
Typically, it is a kids bike, just as a gesture of some kind of memorial.
if you left any bike of value locked up, it'd soon be an "invisible" ghost bike
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Old 08-17-11 | 10:30 AM
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I wouldnt ride an all white bike at all. That **** is unlucky man . Whereas the ghost bikes around here are definitely not track or even road bikes, I still feel like an all white bike is bad luck
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