Something just isn’t sitting right with this build from an aesthetics point of view. 😕

I completely appreciate that aesthetics play only a minor part in “things” but something seems wrong.

Any thoughts?

Wheels are the wrong size.

Valve is by the E on the front tyre but R on the rear.

hth.

Grey grips.

It’s a 29er with flat bars, I’d start again.

All very valuable comments 😆

So it would seem nothing major, bar the wrong sized wheels, flat bars, poor attention to detail re logos/valves and grey grips.

Think it looks lovely but……i used to have one of those saddles and they are useless when its wet as they soak up all the water. Something slimline like a black charge spoon would look nicer too although the sdg saddles are comfy.

Oh and black cranks would be better imo but that is really picking hairs.

The downtube sticker’s on wonky.

Stem too short.

Mech cage too long

I will try swapping out the saddle as it does look a bit bulky.

@ Ben …. its a 70mm stem but I may try an 80mm

All good so far 🙂

Fence too untreated

Looks alright to me apart from the bars.

I used to have the furry SDG saddles. Look ace but are a pain in the wet and take ages to dry out. I also preferred the previous Bel Air without the droopy nose. Animal print saddles are ace though.

IHN – Member

Mech cage too long

I think I need a long cage for when the outer ring goes back on ….. for when I need a 42/36 gear 😳

mindmap3 – Member

Looks alright to me apart from the bars.

Go on ….

With white forks, I think you need just a touch more white towards the rear of the bike.

Just the grips & the saddle for me that look ‘wrong’.

Apart from that it looks good.

Take the photo fully side on with the bike in a higher gear.
[edit] and level the cranks to 3/9 o’clock

I think I need a long cage for when the outer ring goes back on

I doubt it. I’ve used a medium cage mech (XT and X0) on 3×9 for years, no probs.

I think you might be suffering from an optical illusion of some sort…with the photo taken at that angle the back wheel looks like it might be smaller than the front wheel which sort of screws with the perspective of the whole thing. Does that make any sense to anyone?

Taken at the same time (in a rush 😳 )

whites look a little harsh

letmetalktomark – Member

Any thoughts?

Yeah, Nicky Clarke just called and he wants his straighteners back.

🙂

But I like my hair straight 🙁

I will forgo the crimpers …..

Stem a bit long, bars a little flat. 60mm stem and 15mm rise bars..

Looks pretty good to me, although I do wonder whether it might look better with black forks. I like white forks in general, but I wonder if the skinny tubes call for something a bit more slimming up front.

Or you could just stop worrying about it and ride the damn thing 🙂

Unfortunately – no matter how well they might work
big wheels just look pants

It’s a 29er, pretty much all of them look a bit off.

White saddle and grips needed.

It’s the colour..

And the lack of bar end plugs…

White saddle and grips needed

Yes, much as I think white saddles and grips are a stupid idea on a mountain bike, they would balance those forks a bit better.

This was the most “right” lookign 29er I’ve seen, belongs to another STW’er (Alex). Not sure why yours is different, but it is, a little

looks good to me, but maybe the saddle needs to be slimmer. these things are important!

Looking at that pic, and at yours – the smaller frame is better proportioned, as ever. And I much prefer Schwalbe tyres to Maxxis, aesthetically. And as others have said, the balance of colours draws your eye to the fork on yours, the frame on his.

You could throw something else in there to liven things up..

On my lime mmbop, I went with black and gold/brown.. brown/gold cables, ferrules, cable crimps, BB, presta caps, etc.

With the blue you could maybe go for the complement i.e. maximum contrast – orange grips and cables? Orange something here n there?

Saddle is gopping and I think white wheels would improve it as there is not a lot really to tie the white forks into the rest of the colour scheme.

I appreciate white wheels would not be a cheap fix so maybe a white saddle(Charge spoon as said before) and some white lock on grips instead?

colour is better on that last one
Frame bigger?
Black forks look better on colourful frames

Oh and the angle of the dangle – bikes def look there best like that 🙂

This was the most “right” lookign 29er I’ve seen, belongs to another STW’er (Alex). Not sure why yours is different, but it is, a little

Ok I take back what I said, this one looks great 🙂

IMO the orange solaris looks better because it has no white parts on it. White kit on bright-colour frames was a good/new look a few yrs ago but (and I’m not into fashion, just noting this effect) a strong ‘new style’ fades fast, it looks a bit tired now to me, the classic look always work well longer-term.

The saddle and grips don’t do it any favours really, but sod what it looks like, use what works.. A worn in and battered bike always looks better to me than a preened OCDer colour-co-ord project bike.