Boonen in his final Paris-Roubaix
I saw the Black Crowes in concert some years ago, and as the band swung into their first number, Chris Robinson casually strolled onstage wearing head to toe white sequins. Later in the show, he remarked that nothing quite makes you feel like a virgin like wearing white.
The color white is indeed a bold statement. A white house declares to the neighborhood that the homeowners are committed to give nature the what-for and keep it pristine at all times. Similarly, the Cyclist who wears white declares that they are willing to take their chances against road grime, despite effectively turning themselves into a human mudflap.
White is like hanging a “Kick Me” sign on Nature.
I personally find it irresistible. White bar tape and socks, even on a bike I expect to get dirty, is a must. I do admit to going through phases where I’ll experiment with black or orange socks or bar tape like a temperamental tween experimenting with talking back to their parents. But I always find myself irrevocably drawn back to white.
When I was 13, I bought my first Selle San Marco Regal saddle in perforated white leather. (I promptly crashed on it). It matched my Scott Drop-Ins which were wrapped in white Benotto bar tape, as well as the white spatters on my early Nineties paintjob. It was many years later before I bought myself some White Ladies. And to be fair, as much as I love my Orange Damsels, there is nothing like a clean, white pair of socks matched to a clean, white pair of shoes. Just ask Tom Boonen.
White sunglasses are a must as well, and after a short foray from the path, I’m back on the white helmet program. White jerseys tend to look sharper than their dark counterparts (assuming your physical qualities don’t require the slimming effect of black.) I’m on a quest for a white bike, but people seem loathe to make me one, as they are apparently unlucky. (I’m going for the next best thing: silver sparkles.)
White is bold and requires a concerted effort to ensure one keeps it pristine, but it pays you back by Looking incomparably Fantastic. It seems the only place where white doesn’t look better is on bibshorts. Go figure.
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Velominati central did not like that # symbol in this image filename on the first pass. Here -- Green River Rd
@chuckp
3T LTD Corius bar tape keeps white. There is also a not-so-often mentioned rule about matching bar tape to your seat post manufacturer whenever possible. Confession, I made that part up.
@universo
Damn! Now that's a proper bike! Who made it? Frame?
@universo
My "problem" is that I absolutely love the feel of Lizardskins bar tape. It's got enough padding that I don't need to ride with gloves. And it doesn't get slick/slippery with sweat. Actually almost gets tacky when it's wet. I think maybe I need to query Movistar's mechanics to ask how they keep the team bikes' bar tape so clean. I think they'd probably tell me that they just change it often.
Lizardskins came out with dual color black/pink so that might be what I do once my all pink gets too dirty if I still want to have a splash of color on my bike.
@Buck Rogers
Eddy Merckx MX Leader -- Noah Rosen of Velocolour turned my design scheme into his 2016 white edition. We collaborated on my understated graphics to carry only the an M, Columbus Dove, and Velocolour logos. Then M appears where needed and Velocolour added dashes of pink on the pantograph areas of crown and bridge.
@universo
Oh FUCK! Even better than I had imagined, though I knew that it was a true piece of art when I first saw it. What a bike! Well done!
@Teocalli
Lordy, lordy, lordy., Those take me back to my first "proper" cycling shoes - some ALL leather Vittorias. I have a pair of all black Shimanos with some fine, small hole perforations. A friend of mine is a leather worker and I'm thinking of asking him to go a wee bit wild on making the holes larger.
@chuckp
I have a movistar team bike, the dark blue lizardskins they use aren't available to buy, or at least I haven't been able to get it anywhere online, only direct from Canyon. It's the 2.5mm lizard skins and that custom dark blue stays clean until it wears through. Mine are still spotless after >5000km
You know, calling out the guy (without naming names) who is making your bike for not painting it white is a sure way to tick off said builder.
There are reasons for this policy and they are here.
You can argue, cry, whine, bitch and moan, but your bike won't be white. Period.
Get over it.
Love and kisses.
DW