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The Color White

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.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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MangoDave says:

Jun 22 2017 at 11:00 am

@Randy C

@chuckp So the Hollands is just dripping class. And the Felt, you just know, has to be a sweet ride. So… which one is getting the most miles ? The modern C or the classic lugged steel ? I have a good buddy with a collection of classic Italian steel but it’s his C Merckx that gets the miles. @litvi Wow ! When I get big I’m gonna get me something in Celeste. And if not a bike, then it’ll be a Fender in Sea-foam Green. That’s a sweet bike. @MangoDave And did you start this whole thread of awesome bikes ?!? @DoctorNurse I love black bikes. And have more than a few. That collection ? Makes me want a white one ! Well…not really. But I sure appreciate that room full of beauties for sure. Cheers all

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Been traveling for a while, recently back and catching up here. No, I don't think I can take credit for starting posts of awesome bikes, there are others before mine (but thx). I do enjoy looking at everyones' rides, no matter who started posting.
MangoDave says:

Jun 22 2017 at 11:02 am

@universo

@MangoDave

@universo

@Buck Rogers

@universo Damn! Now that’s a proper bike! Who made it? Frame?

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.

Nice! I’d love to see some photos of these details.

thnx — much more detail @ velocolour

1

Such understated class! Love it.
chuckp says:

Jun 22 2017 at 11:46 am

@universo

One word ... ethereal.
Stu says:

Aug 28 2017 at 6:29 am

Still working towards the white shades.....

http://i.imgur.com/yLPwtoe.jpg
RobSandy says:

Nov 23 2017 at 3:17 am

@chuckp

@RobSandy

I recently got some new White Ladies and picked up some of my favourite Goldilocks LG white socks on offer. I’ve got white fi’zi:k tape on currently but am going to re-wrap with white Lizardskins (when I have time to experiment with slamming my stem and changing the angles of my bar and hoods).

I use Lizardskins bar tape and love it. But you should be aware that it gets dirty pretty easily and doesn’t clean up very easily.

This just popped up as an old article - Chuck you were spot on. The Lizardskins I put on my former Nr#1 not long ago now looks shit. It gets dirtier every time I touch it and wont clean up.

However, that bike is now my Nr#2 so will be rewrapping with black Fizik soon.

Lesson for the class, unless you're a Pro, if you're going to go white, don't go Lizardskins.
universo says:

Nov 23 2017 at 5:07 pm

@RobSandy

3T tape. I know now that I'll never look at another bar tape.
RobSandy says:

Nov 24 2017 at 12:21 am

@universo

@RobSandy

3T tape. I know now that I’ll never look at another bar tape.

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My wife had 3T tape on her Bianchi. Furry stuff. It was shit.

I'm now 100% Fizik, white or black, and my wife has Cav style camo Lizardskins.
Cary says:

Nov 24 2017 at 11:27 am

i still use Cinelli cork tape. if you keep it clean, salt and sun bleach and fade it appealingly
Teocalli says:

Nov 25 2017 at 1:58 am

@Cary

i still use Cinelli cork tape. if you keep it clean, salt and sun bleach and fade it appealingly

0

Sun?? Wazzat?
Cary says:

Nov 25 2017 at 11:30 am

@Teocalli

@Cary

i still use Cinelli cork tape. if you keep it clean, salt and sun bleach and fade it appealingly

0

Sun?? Wazzat?

0

my apologies. i forgot y’all live in castles and the sun doesn’t shine for like half the year or something. dragons and hogwarts and shit.