# Bike: Accent colors or full stealth???



## unrooted (Jul 31, 2007)

I am about to build up a new bike, Banshee Prime in Raw. Normally I just get black and silver components, but I was thinking about doing a few accent parts in green.

I'm thinking Green headset spacers, Green grips, green seatpost collar and bottom bracket.

Hopefully not too overboard so I don't look like 90's purple anodized craze:https://www.retrobike.co.uk/images/storm26.jpg

When you see a bike on the trail that has too many anodized parts do you get excited, or roll your eyes???


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## _Alberto_ (Sep 8, 2012)

If it's done tasteful and the shade of the accents match it can be cool. 

I have a white bike with a blue Hope front caliper adapter, seat collar, stem spacers, and QR for the rear wheel. Along with blue grip collars, blue flats, a blue handlebar and a seat with a touch of blue. 

It's clean IMO, I dislike seeing multiple colors for those parts or shades that vary so much it looks tacky. I also like certain builds with black or like colors It all depends.

Edit-that pic you posted shows how I dislike non similar colors when they should match more and I don't like the same color Accents as the frame to me that looks gaudy.


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## unrooted (Jul 31, 2007)

Yeah, the shade thing bugs me too, and for green there are a lot of variances! Probably just buy some of the same brands if I can. 

Too bad those little parts add up to be so much, it would be sweet to have the four or so parts in various color sets (orange, black, green, blue, red, purple). 

For a cheap seatpost clamp, headset spacer, bottom bracket, grips you're looking at $80-$100, which are parts I don't ever have to replace (except grips).


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## John Kuhl (Dec 10, 2007)

I think that is a good idea, and green would look good. Plus the fact you are getting it
raw any color will go with it.


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2013)

Since I'm a grey on grey with grey accents kind of guy I'm probably not the right person to add here, but that never stops anyone else so here goes. 

I like the accent flash on other bikes, even my on my bike I found blue accented eggbeaters that match the lockout lever on my fork to be an attractive but not superfluous addition. Although I'm minimalistic in nature, I always think the rasta-themed stem spacers look cool and I've always wanted to do a red/blue/silver alloy spoke nipple wheelset. I think you gotta build what you want and if someone doesn't like it you can always ride faster so they don't have to look at it.


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## Ska (Jan 12, 2004)

I'm all for accent colours - it's a big part of what makes a bike "yours".

You don't need a ton to make a big impact _especially_ if your starting canvas is black.

My most recent build was accented in red (headset, clamp, BB and FR. Der clamp (not installed yet) on naked Ti. What helped my accent decision was that builder sticker on the frame stating its Canadian origin (red) and the components I was going to hang from the bike have red details as well.

I know this example is road but every time I build a bike, I spend time on those smaller details.

I vote accent - 100% :thumbsup:


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## _Alberto_ (Sep 8, 2012)

My blue accents to match the blue on the frame.


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## Nakedbabytoes (Jul 24, 2012)

Depends.
I like stealth.









But then I also like anno accents.


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## _Alberto_ (Sep 8, 2012)

Love the flats on that!


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## Bigb2000 (May 20, 2013)

I'm usually a black on black color scheme guy, but now I've got a stumpy evo that is matte black frame with green accents. I've received many complements on the bike. If I see someone with mismatched color components, I assume they have carried them over to their next frame.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

O.P. 
Who gives a a rats ass what others think. Style it to your liking it's your bike.


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## blmpkn (Sep 18, 2013)

Powdercoat>annodizing
Especially if the raw frame is more Matt than glossy


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## Ska (Jan 12, 2004)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> O.P.
> Who gives a a rats ass what others think. Style it to your liking it's your bike.


I agree with this 100% and feel everyone should live by this but, in this case, the OP asked for some thoughts.


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

I did not read every post, so apologies if I've repeated anything.

I think a stealth bike looks cool...but gets boring. There is also a point where there can be too many accent parts or colors. I've always done my bikes simple, but unique. Had an SS mtb that was black with green rims, grips and cable housing. Had a FG mtb that was grey with red decals, cables and bottle cage. And my current bike (Surly Krampus) is a sparkly green with ano gold accent bits. I chose to go very simple on the gold, not entirely noticeable, but still looking good without being over the top. I went with gold grip lock rings, gold seatpost clamp, gold derailleur pulley wheels and gold braze-on frame bolts. 

I like ano bits that match on a bike, but too much becomes annoying, to me anyway. I like to keep things simple.


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

I find little pops of color nice and fun.








The bolts are not that expensive, but things like the bottom bracket are..








Or a little more involve.


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## robert w (Dec 14, 2010)

I like a little color, if it matches. FWIW, I wanted green anno accents on my dirt jumper, but ended up finding too many variances in color - some lime green, some dark, and all different shades. I ended up going with lime green but not anno. Green grips, cable housing, bashguard, and powdered flat pedals. Rest of the bike is black and white.


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## t0pcat (May 7, 2012)

tell me this isn't 1 of the prettyest bikes you have ever seen https://dirtragmag.com/userfiles/nakedloonie-1.jpg


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## jpettit (Dec 22, 2011)

Naked Bikes are the cat's ass!


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## Overhillthruthewoods (Sep 26, 2012)

I know it's a stereotype, but in my 20+ years of mountain biking, I have never come across a mountain biking badass on a bling bike. More often, they have been on total beaters or trashed bikes. It might have to do with the psychological make up that makes one worry about how something looks vs. excelling at a skill.


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## SlowPokePete (Mar 27, 2006)

Overhillthruthewoods said:


> I know it's a stereotype, but in my 20+ years of mountain biking, I have never come across a mountain biking badass on a bling bike. More often, they have been on total beaters or trashed bikes. It might have to do with the psychological make up that makes one worry about how something looks vs. excelling at a skill.


Their bikes are trashed from riding the hell out of them.

SPP


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## SlowPokePete (Mar 27, 2006)

Generally prefer stealth.

SPP


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## sambs827 (Dec 8, 2008)

Bigb2000 said:


> I'm usually a black on black color scheme guy, but now I've got a stumpy evo that is matte black frame with green accents. I've received many complements on the bike. If I see someone with mismatched color components, I assume they have carried them over to their next frame.


I got my '14 stumpy expert evo in all black. it came with a pack of 6 different decal sets. I opted for cyan and threw on some matching RaceFace shock boots, SixC bars and Strafe grips. TASTY! Really makes the bike stick out in photos.


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## Warshade (Jun 19, 2006)

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


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## unrooted (Jul 31, 2007)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> O.P.
> Who gives a a rats ass what others think. Style it to your liking it's your bike.


I give 2 rats asses what others think, that is why I asked!

For now I'm just buying a green bottom bracket and grips (ergon GA1's) because they are the few things I actually need, otherwise it will be all black components, If I like the green still in a few months (after I pay this bike off) I'll get a few other items.

Wonder if I'm strong enough to go from a 30t front ring to a 34??? Then I could get a green race face ring, but the color might be a bit off. . .


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## unrooted (Jul 31, 2007)

Overhillthruthewoods said:


> I know it's a stereotype, but in my 20+ years of mountain biking, I have never come across a mountain biking badass on a bling bike. More often, they have been on total beaters or trashed bikes. It might have to do with the psychological make up that makes one worry about how something looks vs. excelling at a skill.


I've always said that if you can't be fast you should at least be pretty!


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## _Alberto_ (Sep 8, 2012)

Overhillthruthewoods said:


> I know it's a stereotype, but in my 20+ years of mountain biking, I have never come across a mountain biking badass on a bling bike. More often, they have been on total beaters or trashed bikes. It might have to do with the psychological make up that makes one worry about how something looks vs. excelling at a skill.


There is so much fail in this post I don't know what laugh at specifically.

Like saying you can't have a nice looking fast car and that it has to be a "track" car.

You must ride alone a lot if no one on a decently accented bike has blown by you. Do you see how stupid assumptions make us look?


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## Overhillthruthewoods (Sep 26, 2012)

Like I said, it's a stereotype, but one that generally fits. There are always some exceptions. By the way, your car analogy doesn't fit. It has to do with how the car looks vs. the car driver's ability, not that the only fast car is an ugly track car. And yeah, I still stand by my "failed" post. Most people that ride hard aren't as concerned about bike bling. They let their riding do the talking. Others can spend their time massaging their bike with 8 coats of wax. If you haven't come in contact with the huge community of no skill riders with $5k+ super bikes, then you are the one that doesn't ride much. Hell, the entire high end bike industry is supported by 30-50 year old white males. Who else can afford it? If these people are such amazing riders, how come all the of the cutting edge videos never show old riders?


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## unrooted (Jul 31, 2007)

Too much???


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## Warshade (Jun 19, 2006)

unrooted said:


> View attachment 865695
> 
> 
> Too much???


Nah.




























Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

unrooted said:


> View attachment 865695
> 
> 
> Too much???


If it's not too much for you, it's not too much for me :thumbsup: It's your bike, build it how you wish.

I am worried about your chain length being too short, though. Read this link on PinkBike about getting the proper length chain on a full-suspension bike, look for the term "chain growth" as you're reading to see what I'm talking about.

Tech Tuesday - Chain Length Basics - Pinkbike


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## unrooted (Jul 31, 2007)

Sasquatch, thanks for looking out for me, but I cycled the rear triangle to ensure that the chain wasn't too short. The chainstay only grows around a half an inch on this bike!


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## gravitylover (Sep 1, 2009)

One of my favorite bikes ever was one that the kid that worked for me built. Every part was a different color, even the spokes were five colors. I've been thinking about doing something like that again.


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## nate. (Oct 10, 2010)

i like accents.


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## RaptorTC (Jan 22, 2012)

I go both ways. 
One of my bikes is raw aluminum with blue ano hubs, headset spacers, chainring bolts, bottle cage bolts (I needed new ones and figured they might as well match), and seatpost collar. 

My other bike is matte black carbon with black decals and pretty much all black components. 

Tough to say which one I like the look of more.


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## unrooted (Jul 31, 2007)

I really like the super stealth black on black bikes like the banshee a do cannondale fat boy.


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## moefosho (Apr 30, 2013)




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## RossJamis (Aug 27, 2013)

In my way of thinking less is more when it comes to accent colors.. After that it becomes the main focus. I would not have more then two parts on my bike accented..Like Grips and cranks, or seat and pedals, etc


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## fixgeardan (Aug 20, 2004)

Just a hint of color.:thumbsup:


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## moefosho (Apr 30, 2013)

One of my favorite things about my new bike is the flat black with bright green accent color scheme. I am not sure how much more color I will add.


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## Cusco (Aug 21, 2011)

Overhillthruthewoods said:


> Like I said, it's a stereotype, but one that generally fits. There are always some exceptions. By the way, your car analogy doesn't fit. It has to do with how the car looks vs. the car driver's ability, not that the only fast car is an ugly track car. And yeah, I still stand by my "failed" post. Most people that ride hard aren't as concerned about bike bling. They let their riding do the talking. Others can spend their time massaging their bike with 8 coats of wax. If you haven't come in contact with the huge community of no skill riders with $5k+ super bikes, then you are the one that doesn't ride much. Hell, the entire high end bike industry is supported by 30-50 year old white males. Who else can afford it? If these people are such amazing riders, how come all the of the cutting edge videos never show old riders?


This has to be one of the more moronic / asinine comments I have come across on this board. Really?????? Really????? ( cue Seth Meyers / Amy Poehler). There are no amazing MTB riders over 30 ... really???? Just to name a few

- Dave Wiens - beat Lance Armstrong (while likely on the juice) at age 44 at the Leadville 100. Has also beat Floyd Landis and Levi Leipheimer at the same race. 
- John Tomac - won the Kamikaze Downhill at Mammoth Mountain CA twice at age 37 and 38 
- Tinker Juarez - currently considered one of the best ultra marathon MTB riders in the world at age 55

There are tons of highly accomplished MTB riders over 30!

I race in the Mid Atlantic Super Series and I can assure you there are lots of riders in Cat 1 / Expert who are well over 30, can afford nice rigs and spank most badass twenty somethings Its' a mistake to think that the # of young riders posting freeride /DH/ AM videos on YouTube somehow correlates to the average age of a "amazing" MTB rider.


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## Cusco (Aug 21, 2011)

Martyn Ashton - age 39 - professional MTB trials rider. Unfortunately he was seriously injured shortly after making this video.

Road Bike Party 2 - Martyn Ashton - YouTube


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## TwoNin9r (Jan 26, 2011)

Cusco said:


> Martyn Ashton - age 39 - professional MTB trials rider. Unfortunately he was seriously injured shortly after making this video.
> 
> Road Bike Party 2 - Martyn Ashton - YouTube


not 100% sure what that has to do with this thread, but that's the coolest video i've ever seen.


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## Overhillthruthewoods (Sep 26, 2012)

Cusco said:


> This has to be one of the more moronic / asinine comments I have come across on this board. Really?????? Really????? ( cue Seth Meyers / Amy Poehler). There are no amazing MTB riders over 30 ... really???? Just to name a few
> 
> - Dave Wiens - beat Lance Armstrong (while likely on the juice) at age 44 at the Leadville 100. Has also beat Floyd Landis and Levi Leipheimer at the same race.
> - John Tomac - won the Kamikaze Downhill at Mammoth Mountain CA twice at age 37 and 38
> ...


Once again, someone has to pull out the exceptions to the norm. For every amazing old guy you pull out of your hat, they are overwhelmed by a tsunami of average old guys. Like it or not, sports are ruled by the young. They have two huge advantages, they are at their physical peaks and don't believe they are mortal. Why do you think they have age classes in mountain bike races? It sure isn't so that the old guys don't steal all of the podium slots from the young.

Regardless, this post as a whole is thread drift. Please move along.


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## rzims (Sep 7, 2005)

I like both - my SS is black with red headset, hubs and seat clamp, plus a few other little bits.
My current project is a Verhauen that will be flat black stealth all the way


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## Gumbi4Prez (Jan 2, 2014)

*Seriously?*



Cusco said:


> This has to be one of the more moronic / asinine comments I have come across on this board. Really?????? Really????? ( cue Seth Meyers / Amy Poehler). There are no amazing MTB riders over 30 ... really???? Just to name a few
> 
> - Dave Wiens - beat Lance Armstrong (while likely on the juice) at age 44 at the Leadville 100. Has also beat Floyd Landis and Levi Leipheimer at the same race.
> - John Tomac - won the Kamikaze Downhill at Mammoth Mountain CA twice at age 37 and 38
> ...


Dude seriously? Ned Overand should have been the very first on the list. What were you thinking? :thumbsup:


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## RossJamis (Aug 27, 2013)

Kudos Gumbi, he was the first I thought of also..


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## Gumbi4Prez (Jan 2, 2014)

Ano tends to fade over time anyways. Starting a new build I try to keep some what of a color theme. As time goes on and parts wear out. I generally replace the worn/broken parts with whatever is available at the time or what's reasonably priced.

Rode a Fat Chance team violet frame for over 12 years. At one point it had a dozen colors on it. Got a lot of complements. Kinda fit in with that companies, color outside the lines, rebel attitude of the time.

Color accents can get carried away much the same as WW. Ano or Ti bolts add up fast. I can think of better things to spend $200 on, rather than replacing bolts.

At the end of the day. Its their money. If it makes them happy or inspires them to ride more. It cant be that bad.


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## bradkay (Apr 9, 2013)

"how come all the of the cutting edge videos never show old riders?"

Because most of the older riders prefer to leave the crazy stuff for the youngsters and otherwise just go out and ride their bikes?


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## Cusco (Aug 21, 2011)

Gumbi4Prez said:


> Dude seriously? Ned Overand should have been the very first on the list. What were you thinking? :thumbsup:


Gumbi4Prez - sorry .... my bad on Ned. Feel free to chime in on Overhillthruthewoods assertions  BTW - my 1st real MTB was a Fat Chance Yo Eddy in Cosmic Dust Fade. Unfortunately it rusted out at the bottom of the seat tube after many years of enjoyment and got a Yo Eddy frame replacement from Serotta who owned Fat Chance at the time. I still have it in my basement set up as a rigid SS. Cheers.


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## GelatiCruiser (Oct 11, 2012)

I picked up some 5.10s in white with blue accents because the blue matched the accents in my bike. Some people might think it's lame or a bit much, but it's not their bike and I dig it.


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