# Why is it all black?



## TwiceHorn (Jun 18, 2014)

Kind of an oddball question, but so much biking apparel is black. I'm not a huge fan of black as a color. 

Historically, I guess most or all of the spandex shorts, and wool before them, were black.

Modern trends, especially in MTB, seem to involve more colors, finally.

Is there some reason that bike apparel tends to be black?


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

The question isn't why is it all black, the question is, could it be any blacker?, and the answer is none, none more black.


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## R_Pierce (May 31, 2017)

Fits my style perfectly. I honestly dont own a t shirt that isnt black.


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## mv70 (Feb 15, 2018)

R_Pierce said:


> Fits my style perfectly. I honestly dont own a t shirt that isnt black.


+1 .Black car and bikes too


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## R_Pierce (May 31, 2017)

mv70 said:


> +1 .Black car and bikes too


Car, yes. But my bike is rather colorful. Which is a bit out of my "norm"

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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

TwiceHorn said:


> Is there some reason that bike apparel tends to be black?


Good question. It's partly just a trend as if you think back to the early days of mountain biking, nothing was black!

But black is not an ideal colour, it's hot and shows the dirt. The only black clothing I have are things I couldn't get in any other colour.

When I was about twenty I had a friend who was a goth. My girlfriend and I agreed to go to a goth disco with her, yes they really had such a thing, but had no black clothes to wear. We borrowed black T-shirts from my goth friend and when she opened her wardrobe...she didn't have a single piece of clothing that was_ not _black!


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## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

Jayem said:


> The question isn't why is it all black, the question is, could it be any blacker?, and the answer is none, none more black.
> 
> View attachment 1207437


lol, I bet most won't get your reference.


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## GoingNowhere (Oct 15, 2014)

chazpat said:


> lol, I bet most won't get your reference.


But these go to 11.

My guess is most protection is black so it works with any other color. If a company is going to make an item in one color it may as well be as versatile as possible.

That being said, I think there are plenty of options for bike clothing in all sorts of color but the protective devices are mostly black. I have gray shorts and blue shorts. And shirts and gloves in all sorts of colors. I'm going to guess it's cheaper to produce gloves in many colors than knee pads or shin guards.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

GoingNowhere said:


> My guess is most protection is black so it works with any other color.


Probably true. Personally, I'm not sure I care what colour my stuff is. When I see guys wearing matching outfits with blinged up bikes I think it looks stupid. In fact I usually deliberately avoid wearing the shirt I have that matches my bike!


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## TwiceHorn (Jun 18, 2014)

Hahaha, some good responses. Funny thing, I really was confining my comment to clothes. I don't mind black for cars or bikes or objects/tools, or an accent color on anythng, clothes included.

A big part of it I suppose is that I'm a Texan and its most always hot here and black never looks fun in the heat.

Just when I go to look at baggies, most of them are black.

As to the old-style, tight shorts, I wonder if black at least partially helped hide the goods and some sweat. Maybe also grease stains?

Also:


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## jeremy3220 (Jul 5, 2017)

I was looking for 3/4 length jerseys recently to use for aggressive riding in the heat and had a terrible time finding something that fit but wasn't primarily black. The best I could do was actually a medium grey TLD jersey.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

jeremy3220 said:


> I was looking for 3/4 length jerseys recently to use for aggressive riding in the heat and had a terrible time finding something that fit but wasn't primarily black.


Have a look at road stuff. Lots of bright colours there.


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## fleboz (Apr 22, 2015)

"Personally, I'm not sure I care what colour my stuff is" yet "In fact I usually deliberately avoid wearing the shirt I have that matches my bike!"

something is off! I laugh only because my great friends have bought me so much of the same color stuff i'm one of the matchy people you laugh at. myself and friends are laughing at me too, but what do you do. gifts are gifts, but im starting to think they know what they are doing.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

TwiceHorn said:


> As to the old-style, tight shorts, I wonder if black at least partially helped hide the goods and some sweat.













fleboz said:


> Gifts are gifts, but I'm starting to think they know what they are doing.


Think they might.


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## sfgiantsfan (Dec 20, 2010)

I bought my bike used, because I loved the bike but hated the color. Bright green, so now I wear mostly black and grey to counter the bike.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

sfgiantsfan said:


> I bought my bike used, because I loved the bike but hated the color. Bright green


I bought my bike new because I wanted the bike and could live with the colour, bright green. I mainly call it Kermit.


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## idividebyzero (Sep 25, 2014)

I have never seen any bike apparel that didnt come in multiple color options (including black). Usually black isnt even an option because its out of stock. But I always shop online since store prices for clothes are atrocious and selection is really questionable.


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

Bike clothes come in black to save you from yourselves, you tacky bunch of bastards! 

My bike is green and orange and black and blue. And red. It looks like a clown car crashed into a sherwin williams store, and I love it.


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

Jayem said:


> The question isn't why is it all black, the question is, could it be any blacker?, and the answer is none, none more black.
> 
> View attachment 1207437


You don't have a black KMC chain or spider, so the answer is yes it could be blacker.


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## rtsideup (Mar 21, 2012)

Is black a color?


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## Guy.Ford (Oct 28, 2009)

rtsideup said:


> Is black a color?


Not technically speaking, black is the absorption or absense of all colors.

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## Rocky Mtn (Jan 19, 2014)

Once you go black, you will never go back


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## TwiceHorn (Jun 18, 2014)

So I guess one reason black is traditional is that it hides grease and dirt. I got some lime green/yellow Fox shorts that I like pretty well, but they get grimy fast.


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

Besides hiding grime, it's least polarizing and pairs with any color...almost. Some won't pair black with navy.


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## PUNKY (Apr 26, 2010)

Unless you're paid to wear white lycra shorts; it's a really ****ing bad idea.
Same goes for white pants/baggies (Looking at you Loic) socks, shoes.

"Pro Skiers look like a bag of skittles..."


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## Sage of the Sage (Nov 10, 2011)

See rules #14 and 15...

Velominati › The Rules


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## Joules (Oct 12, 2005)

TwiceHorn said:


> Kind of an oddball question, but so much biking apparel is black. I'm not a huge fan of black as a color.
> 
> Historically, I guess most or all of the spandex shorts, and wool before them, were black.
> 
> ...


because it looks better. I have no idea what you're talking about saying bike clothing is hard to find in anything but black. Show me any store that has any shorts of jersey in black only (partially serious; I find it hard to find bike clothing in the correct color - probably because people buy it, leaving the clown suits they can't get rid of for sales).


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## TwiceHorn (Jun 18, 2014)

Joules said:


> because it looks better. I have no idea what you're talking about saying bike clothing is hard to find in anything but black. Show me any store that has any shorts of jersey in black only (partially serious; I find it hard to find bike clothing in the correct color - probably because people buy it, leaving the clown suits they can't get rid of for sales).


I didn't say it was hard to find colors other than black, although it is, somewhat. I said there was a lot of black, and there is, a lot more than most sports. At the stores I go to, I have a hard time finding any color other than black in shorts in L/XL. The colors are picked over.

And I noted that historically black is the predominant color, and I think we may have established why that is.

I don't like it. YMMV. I live in Texas and black is going to be the last choice for about everything except a tux, or shoes maybe (don't like black shoes either).


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## Chicane32 (Jul 12, 2015)

The only thing I notice being all black are Knee and elbow pads. Does this material not come in colors? I try and stay away from black Jersey's, unless it's winter and cold out.


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## TwiceHorn (Jun 18, 2014)

Chicane32 said:


> The only thing I notice being all black are Knee and elbow pads. Does this material not come in colors? I try and stay away from black Jersey's, unless it's winter and cold out.


I guess this hints at another answer. Pads are pretty inherently utilitarian, moreso than clothes and getting kind of close to "parts." I don't like black clothes, yet I have no problem with black cranks, bars, stems, ders, etc.

And, pads are going to get dirty and scraped/torn up in pretty short order and I suppose black hides the damage better than most other colors.

Biking apparel tends to be a bit more utilitarian than other sports gear. That and the greasy/dirty environment probably go a long way to explaining why shorts at least are traditionally black. That and the budgie smuggling.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

Paint it black.
Back in black.


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## kustomz (Jan 6, 2004)

sfgiantsfan said:


> I bought my bike used, because I loved the bike but hated the color. Bright green, so now I wear mostly black and grey to counter the bike.


Just the opposite here, all of my bikes are black so the gear can speak the mood. Look good, feel good, ride good!


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## Tim-ti (Jul 27, 2005)

Most fabrics are available as stock in black, and black fabrics from different vendors are likely to match each other, thus making black garments is easier and cheaper. Also, it's a safer bet for companies/shops to buy because few people won't buy black, it goes with everything, and it's unlikely to fall out of fashion.


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## primoz (Jun 7, 2006)

Jayem said:


> The question isn't why is it all black, the question is, could it be any blacker?, and the answer is none, none more black.
> 
> View attachment 1207437


There's still chance for carbon disks... and don't clean chain that often


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## Joules (Oct 12, 2005)

kustomz said:


> Just the opposite here, all of my bikes are black so the gear can speak the mood. Look good, feel good, ride good!


When I see a picture like that, I like to believe that the model insisted his face be cut off. It's because I still have enough faith in humanity that I believe no one would be seen wearing a shirt like that, even the guy that's paid to wear it.


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## Sage of the Sage (Nov 10, 2011)

As far as black shorts go, I believe they are a holdover from the pro peloton in road racing, as saddles used to be black leather. If you get a dyed leather saddle wet or damp, the dye tends to transfer to your shorts. Black hides it better than any other color...


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## MarcusBrody (Apr 1, 2014)

I'm kind of in opposite situation. I tend to buy closeouts and leftovers on sale as I don't care that much about color. My stuff tends to be really bright as it seems people gravitate and buy the more subdued stuff first. I suspect that's why so much is made in those colors.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

Most garments come in a variety of colors plus a black option so I don’t know what you’re talking about.


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## KingZee (Jul 11, 2014)

R_Pierce said:


> Car, yes. But my bike is rather colorful. Which is a bit out of my "norm"
> 
> Sent from my LG-H931 using Tapatalk


same lol, well, cars are usually white, my bike is neon green


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## GKelley (Sep 4, 2018)

I'm glad pads are always available in black. Remember the 80's, when style wasn't even considered? Big white or yellow elbow pads that didn't match anything.... No thanks. lol


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