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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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View Comments

MangoDave says:

Jun 8 2017 at 10:15 am

I've posted this before in The Bikes section. For most of it's life I've run black tape and saddle. The white/white has been on the last couple of years.
chuckp says:

Jun 8 2017 at 10:33 am

Like @MangoDave, I may have posted this before. But here's my circa early 90s Reynolds 653 steel is real Hollands with black/white Fizik Aliante saddle and white bar tape.
chuckp says:

Jun 8 2017 at 10:34 am

@MangoDave

I’ve posted this before in The Bikes section. For most of it’s life I’ve run black tape and saddle. The white/white has been on the last couple of years.

Very classy looking. With the bike's colorway and the white bar tape, you could run either a white or black saddle and either would look great.
wiscot says:

Jun 8 2017 at 11:14 am

@Slowtrane

Talking about the significance of white: https://americanliterature.com/author/herman-melville/book/moby-dick-or-the-whale/chapter-42-the-whiteness-of-the-whale

Welcome aboard sir! Anyone who come on here and posts links to articles on Moby Dick is alright with me! Strong work indeed!
wiscot says:

Jun 8 2017 at 11:16 am

@chuckp

@MangoDave

I’ve posted this before in The Bikes section. For most of it’s life I’ve run black tape and saddle. The white/white has been on the last couple of years.

Very classy looking. With the bike’s colorway and the white bar tape, you could run either a white or black saddle and either would look great.

I'm think a black saddle would be perfect. It would connect nicely to the brake hoods and stem and complement the rear wheel.
Buck Rogers says:

Jun 8 2017 at 12:31 pm

@chuckp

Like @MangoDave, I may have posted this before. But here’s my circa early 90s Reynolds 653 steel is real Hollands with black/white fi'zi:k Aliante saddle and white bar tape.

Mein Gott!!! What a bike! Just love it!

(although if it had the correct downtube shifters I am sure that you would not have left it on the little ring!--just kidding)
Buck Rogers says:

Jun 8 2017 at 12:35 pm

@Teocalli

@chuckp

@KogaLover

Just won an old, all black, Brancale Belgian hairnet off of the French ebay site for 45 euro. Looks to be in great shape and it was a large size. So hard to find them in large. Cannot wait to get it!

I think that we need to petition the Keepers to add a permanent Eroica thread/tab to the site as nothing screams old school Hardmen like Eroica to me. Talk about riding with ghosts and legends--nothing compares to the Eroica scene for that!
MangoDave says:

Jun 8 2017 at 12:57 pm

@wiscot

@MangoDave

I’m think a black saddle would be perfect. It would connect nicely to the brake hoods and stem and complement the rear wheel.

Thanks, next time I'm bored I might try that.

I'll also see if I can find a photo from a long time ago. The bike had black saddle and tape, silver brake levers, stem, silver wheels (Campa hubs with Open Pro rims). It's evolved quite a lot over the years.
MangoDave says:

Jun 8 2017 at 12:59 pm

@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.
wiscot says:

Jun 8 2017 at 3:36 pm

@MangoDave

@wiscot

@MangoDave

I’m think a black saddle would be perfect. It would connect nicely to the brake hoods and stem and complement the rear wheel.

Thanks, next time I’m bored I might try that.

I’ll also see if I can find a photo from a long time ago. The bike had black saddle and tape, silver brake levers, stem, silver wheels (Campa hubs with Open Pro rims). It’s evolved quite a lot over the years.

I think just changing the saddle to black could, very possibly, see you hit the sweet spot. Pictures required!