[Closed] How much does a bike's paintjob factor into your bike buying decision?

It's definitely a factor. Hard to say to what degree.
I'd consider sending off to Fatcreations for a respray if I really wanted the bike despite the colour.
(but probably not at the Boardman price point)

I've been vocal before on my thoughts of the new Boardman logo.

Those Boardmans are a cracking example of how a paint job can make a difference. Previous years the smart schemes have made them look like a higher-end item than they are, the new paint makes them look like a lower-end item than they actually are.

I've never been swayed myself, but would avoid something truely gopping

Colour/paint is probably lowest priority for me but I draw the line at yellow

I like bright coloured bikes. It's definitley a factor in purchasing for me. Usually value for money trumps this though.

Quite important infact when I got my shand it was the biggest hurdle for me to decide on

To an extent it does, I'd rather not own something truly ugly, but I own one of these, which I think was designed by a 14 year old after 4 tins of Monster. But black was an extra £70, and all I do is sit on it...

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There's quite a few of the current Santa Cruz paint jobs that would put me off buying. The Nomad especially, dislike both current colours.

And the Pinnace Arkose - wanted the SS frame, but it was a dull green with flecks last year, and a dull white with flecks for 2016 , neither of them took my fancy.

It's not the deciding factor, i'd live with a colour if the bike was the one I really wanted, but aesthetics do play a part.

The new Boardmen (that is the collective innit?) look really good to me.

The old ones looked cheaper and more generic, I thought.

Eye of the beholder and all that.

Strangely enough I rather like those board an paint jobs. They look a bit like Cube or Ghost designs, which I also like. That black & yellow commencal is fantastic!
The colour / scheme does always play a part in the decision for me. I certainly partly chose my transAm because of the particularly nice green, but largely because I fancied a nice trail hardtail. 🙂

I guess it's a turn-off for me rather than a turn-on, I'd not buy one I hated but it wouldn't influence me towards making a purchase. Well, it might make me take a second look at a bike- it'd be the second look that sells it but maybe I'd have never given it a chance without the first look.

I really like the new Boardman paint jobs.
I wouldn't buy a bike based purely on the paint and graphics but I have discounted them if I didn't like it.
Those cheap Titus Rockstar frames O-O have been punting recently for example. Sure ey are alright and I was sort of tempted to build one up using spares but I saw a few pics on here and to me the combination of a slightly odd blue main frame and white swing arm made it look cheap and nasty to me so I lost interest immediately.

I'd like to say I work out which bike I want and then choose the colour I like most of what's on offer (I also own a dayglo Commencal like munrobiker). When I really think about it, though, I sure there's bikes I've never even considered based pretty much on looks (Cube springs to mind).

There are too many good bikes out there nowadays to own än ugly one.

I think this years look much better tbh.
Our local Halfords have the 2015 CX bike on display and the finish makes a good bike look cheap and fussy.

Smple designs, any frame colour or finish apart from matte.
Just think it looks awful, probably an age thing.

Hated brown bikes until I bought a beautiful metallic bronze Trek roadie,
but that 'Gravy Brown' Cross Check made me want to heave.

A shiny, unfussy blue, green, yellow or pink(?) and I'm happy.
Partial to purple too.

White always looks worthy and reminds me of ambulances, unless it's a pearl finish in which case it's great.

Red's OK on the MTB, but I can rarely live up to it.

Peugeot road bikes had some great colours in the 70's and 80's.

It's slot of money to spend on something you effectively don't like. I have to like everything about the stuff I buy, or be willing to modify.

Id put up with an OK colour for a budget bike, say 2k. But if I'm going to spend a lot Id want the paint job to be more than OK.

I may like the bike enough and end up having the frame resprayed - it doesn't cost that much. If you spend say 5k on a bike a £200 respray is not a massive factor.

Having bought a

A brown Kaffenback
And a green/beige Genesis\

and a few On-ones

I'd say "Not a lot" 😀

I'm genuinely amazed that anyone likes those boardman bikes but there you go we're all different.

In terms of that Commencal I really like it. I can understand it being marmite but at least you can see design intent and an idea that's been followed through. The boardmans look like they've got the design team from Apollo to create the most bland middle of the road graphics possible. There's just something about it that my mind just can't accept (mostly that someone has been paid to do that to a bike).

it's a big issue for me, I don't really like coloured bikes - they need to be predominantly black, grey or white.
to the extent that I'd prefer to buy a lower spec bike (presuming the frame was the same) if it had a more appealing paint job.

Blimey when did spending £2k become 'budget'

I think they make a difference more than you think, after all it's the colour/design that draws you in unless you're a fanboy of the particular brand

I think that the paintjob only plays a small part in the overall brand of a bike.

The other factors, technology and materials used, heritage, is it derived from a pro level frame, are the graphics modern, who do they sponsor all play a much bigger role.

My perception from looking at the Boardman quickly was it looks like a good no nonsense mid range brand, in fact it looks suspiciously like Bowman...

legend - Member

Those Boardmans are a cracking example of how a paint job can make a difference. Previous years the smart schemes have made them look like a higher-end item than they are, the new paint makes them look like a lower-end item than they actually are.

Yep, exactly that.

I wouldn't buy a used bike if it's been repainted or coated at any time.

On a new bike, yes it'd be enough to put me off if it was hideous.

I prefer a stealth bike but as it was a bargain (for what it is, wasn't exactly cheap) I now own a cyan/magenta bike.. It's great and I'm coming round to it now. Frame and component quality over colour.

I also have a dayglo Commencal, I didn't think about it too much, but the Mrs really liked it and said it looks like a safe bike, and I have made a sensible choice for a change!!
Don't know what to think about that!

I like Black, Blue, Grey, Green (but not bright), Red (but not Maroon) and Silver Bikes.

Lots of current colour schemes are gopping/been designed by blind people.

I like those.

But then I also like Ti so frame colour isn't an important factor for me

It makes no difference to me whatsoever. All bikes look the same when you are sitting on it and all you see are the bars and the front tyre.

The new Boardmans do look better in the flesh though I think.

Of course it plays a part, no question. And for what it's worth I think those Boardman's don't look good at all.

Not really, but then I don't really have much taste. I bought a brown Supreme 6, ffs 😆

Absolutely critical. If it's not green I won't have it.

I once ill-advisedly rode a pink bike, ended up on a spinal board for six hours, [i]and[/i] the stitches got infected. 😐

In my opinion, if you're riding anything other than a brown bike, the chances are that you'll probably enjoy wearing women's clothes but just haven't realised it yet 😉

A lot..my next bike is going to be silver. I dont which bike it will be yet but it will definitely be silver probably with black decals.

Judging by the last two:

You mean there are other criteria by which you would make your decision?

Wow. Who knew.

TBH I can't really fathom what's supposed to be so offensive about those Boardman, they just look like, well, bikes...

And Just what are the current set of aesthetic criteria anyway, it's so hard to keep track, is dayglo yellow or orange still in fashion? Or was that last year?
Do MBR publish an annual guide or anything?

I don't want to be mocked by the trail bitches for being [i]so 2015 Dahling![/i] do I now...

I'd never buy a bike with white forks, unless it was a white bike. I'd probably never buy a white bike, unless it looked good. Hope that's clear.

My Canyon doesn't have a paint job, it's annodized, and I got it at the same time as a replacement bike under warantee from Trek. One has lots of paint chips all over, and the other has lots of light scratches and is easily rubbed away (two rides worth of cable rub will show easily). You can guess which is which.

A bike's paint job is pretty much everything in my purchasing decision. I could not own a bike I didn't like the look of - especially the colour. And I really like colours!

Around 2007-2009 for some reason everything mtb fashion had to be all black. It was all so dull. Then came a strange white phase... And now - thanks to ENDURO!!! - we have lots of silly rediculous colours back again.

FWIW I really like the new Boardmans - the original 'cock and balls' logo was a bit of an embarrassing mess really and the bikes generally looked so generically 'Halfords' and dull. Now - thanks to ENDURO!!! - even CB bikes have gone all colourful. In fact I would almost consider buying one now on the basis of the new paint scheme. Almost..

Incidentally - THE colour for 2014-15 was the 'Yeti' turquoise - it started appearing everywhere. I've no idea what the colourway for 2016 will be yet.. Perhaps Boardman green..?

I bought (and overpaid for 😳 ) this 88 GT Karakoram solely for the paint!

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(the pic is as purchased; the yellow tires, bottle cage, crappy grips, reflectors, and reflective tape are gone now!)

Yep, paint is crucial. Loads of things are perfectly adequate, so I'll always have the one I like the looks of.

The first bike I bought totally on looks was a Kona A'ha:

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Current bike is a Chromag, so I got to choose the colour.

[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5587/14874012626_1d37ee3c57_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5587/14874012626_1d37ee3c57_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/oEncKy ]Chromag Samurai65[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/big-dummy-raynes-park/ ]Jon Rollason[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Current bike is a Chromag, so I got to choose the colour.

No no no

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Yes yes yes

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It's an issue for me. I've tried to ignore it in the past but every time I went in the shed to get the bike, irrespective of how well it rode, my first thought was 'that is an ugly bike'.

Paint job/"look" is up there next to geometry/construction for me. Right at the top.

If i'm spending £1k+ you better believe it's gonna look good too.

oooh - that's my bike Leku!
(doesn't look quite as shiny as that now).

I don't really know what goes on at on-one. All they have to do is make some simple designs that don't turn anyone off imo.