This bicycle is soon to be going to be resprayed in near-enough this photoshopped green (I’ve said it before, but now it’s actually booked in with a deposit and everything!)

I’m going to put of these Salsa Cromoto forks on it.

Should I get them sprayed the same green, or leave them black?

If the frame and fork were matched, it could give the bicycle a greater sense of aesthetic cohesion, putting one in mind of postierich’s seminal “littlebluebike” in its various renderings, or vortexracing’s recent and unfathomably shiny “black mirror” Unit.

On the other hand, matching the two in colour might be forcing the frame and forks uneasily together, the designs contrasting between the angular, pierced tubes of the Dekerf’s wishbone and the curvier aspect of Salsa’s cromoto. Perhaps leaving the fork black would allow one to better appreciate the frame and fork as separate components in their own right.

“Or,” as Brian Sewell would ask, “wot?”

leave them black – as you say they don’t share the same design cues as the frame so having them the same colour will just lead to a lack of cohesion. The contrast of the black will draw the eye away from the difference in structure.

(note: I am not a designer)

On the other hand, matching the two in colour might be forcing the frame and forks uneasily together, the designs contrasting between the angular, pierced tubes of the Dekerf’s wishbone and the curvier aspect of Salsa’s cromoto

😀 oooh mrs…

If you were fitting ‘pierced crown’ straight blade forks in the style of the De Kerf seatstays then I would definitely respray so collar and cuffs match.

However, if sticking with the Salsa then I vote leave black.

(note: I am also not a designer. But then I would never werr red trousers either)

*Sits back on sofa comfortably, content in the knowledge that over-thinking stuff isn’t a solitary affliction* 😆

Oh, no, you’re alright fenred! That isn’t the half of it, either. I’m also wondering whether I should get a 650b front, or just get some of the Ragley carbon 15mm forks so I can use the wheels I’ve got on the PA. And then what tensioning device, should I bother with one of those eccentric bottom brackets for normal shells? decals or no decals. thinking no decals and a Geoff Moorhouse headbadge – then do I have the logo indented with a polished background, or inverted? etc etc.

If the rest of the bike stays the same (wheels tyres, seatpost etc, in black) then they’ll bear being sprayed green.

Only works with rigid forks though, as they’ll look part of the frame.

Ooh, a small swing to the green party! I think I’d already been wavering towards black. It is a rather nice green, though, isn’t it? Pfff…

The rest of the bike will be as black as possible.

Oh, no, you’re alright fenred! That isn’t the half of it, either. I’m also wondering whether I should get a 650b front, or just get some of the Ragley carbon 15mm forks so I can use the wheels I’ve got on the PA. And then what tensioning device, should I bother with one of those eccentric bottom brackets for normal shells? decals or no decals. thinking no decals and a Geoff Moorhouse headbadge – then do I have the logo indented with a polished background, or inverted? etc etc.

Please, please stop!!! I REALLY need some sleep tonight and this isn’t going to help!!!!! *Sits in corner of room with fingers in ears gently rocking and sobbing* 😐

The rest of the bike will be as black as possible.

green then, otherwise the bike will look lobsided

Colour match them. Easy. When bikes only ever came with rigid forks they were almost always colour matched. Only issue it would cause would be if you ever want to use the fork elsewhere.

Edit: oh, and go on the Dekerf shop and get some decals.

mbtfix – blue doesn’t work, not sure about the orange, and the silver looks a bit boring. I want the older style decals really, but that’s getting into custom graphics and stuff. I thought plain tubes would look pretty classy if the paint job’s good, which it should be from Mr Yates.

If you’re going to match frame and fork…do it right.

I’d get them sprayed. I had my Tange forks sprayed to match the P20 when it was all brand new, you still can’t tell they weren’t a matching set and they’re 13yrs+

Ritchey P20 by ritcheyp20, on Flickr

Rorschach, which shop do you work at?

I think that the frame-to-fork design isn’t too incongruous so I’d paint them green. Note the use of the word ‘incongruous’… I’m a designer (but just because I’m a designer it doesn’t mean that I’m right).
The Genesis Fortitudes look great as do these IF beauties.

I didn’t give the frame a second glance (sorry . . . I’ve looked again and it is lovely) but immediately thought DeKerf when I saw the colour and read the question . . .so yes, go matching 8)

Green is considered in Celtic culture to be an unlucky colour, so leave the forks black to represent impending doom.

Black ! Because.

Green “not Dekerf” with black Cromotos?

Inbred above Lake Garda by Simon J Taylor, on Flickr

That was before the Pinkbred arrived:

Monarch Crest Pinkbred by Simon J Taylor, on Flickr

I say go for it, and match them. You want something unique, don’t you?

I say match (although I don’t like the green)

I say match, and get the rims done at the same time.

A substantial swing to the green… well, well.

midlife: ew, rims too? Think that’d be a bit much.

AlexSimon, any of these work for you?

personally blue for the win,

I’d get the forks and stem done also.

Ha, I agree! The blue is as it is now!

I keep looking at the blue pic and thinking it does look good; classy and understated. But that’s its 2nd coat of blue already, and think I should ring the changes.

Choice: these or custom.

gold and pink are out, I reckon.

Bike colours are a very personal thing. I wouldn’t want to pursuade you away from something you were going to like.

However, even though there’s a bit of a tradition for it at Dekerf (especially in emerald), I’ve never liked pearls on any bike, so that’s one of the reasons the green didn’t do it for me. Of course, it might just be the photoshopping.

If it looked more like 16/17 in the image above then it would do more for me.

That last render of yours, looks like my old 90s Kona. It was always nice, but not very exciting – I prefer fun bike colours. Like I said – very personal.

Niner couldnt supply any paint, & I spent two hours in a car paint place once, trying to replicate Niner’s Kermit Green for the forks on my SIR.9.
(Forks were picked up S/H). Chap tried all sorts but had to admit defeat.
Opted for a dark met grey. (Its an old Ford Colour if I recall).

IMAG0419 by pten2106, on Flickr

Originally wanted it to look like this but quite like the grey now…

I like the dark green, I think the utilitarian look suits a rigid bike and the forks in the same colour. If I ever get my rigid bike resprayed it will be in dried south downs mud colour.

Well, here it is: Quite a few STW influences, things decided upon from advice/chat on here, frame/fork matching aside. A Goldtec/Tazzy’s Wobbly Ring, Philcentric BB from druidh (cheers! working perfectly!), XT brakes from Rose (pinched from the other bike) DT 240s on Arch EX – also being shared with the other bike and STW approved bike stand.

Very happy with the work and service from Dave Yates and Debbie. Great communication, top notch work and paint.

phwoaaaaar..!

Nice bike stand. 🙂

Nice. Glad the BB worked out. As an engineering solution it still bothers me – but as it works, it only proves that Phil knows more about bikes than I ever will 🙂

Having installed it without the spacers (and then again with the spacers the wrong way round because I got confused with the bike being upside-down and it being late 😳 ), I’ve found out (twice) how much torque the Loctite needs to break away. It’s quite a lot, so I’m happy – though I wasn’t at the time! And I got the cups to line up pretty damn close to snug too.