How important to you is the look of how good your gear is?
Ranging from running shoes, to goggles to bikes and everything in between.
Bascially, how much more are you willing to pay for something with the same functionality but it just looks cooler?
Performance first, looks second. If 2 brands are the same performance but have different looks, I’ll pay more for the better looking piece of gear. At the end of the day, Triathlon is not a fashion show. It’s a battle between you, me, and the clock and I want to go as fast as possible.
Cervelo’s have had the ugliest paint jobs in the bicycle business and they are the top selling tri bike every year. That’s how important ‘‘the look’’ is.
Personal fact: I will pay more for things that are matte black.
Personal fact: I will pay more for things that are matte black.
I will never understand the people like you haha
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Cervelo’s have had the ugliest paint jobs in the bicycle business and they are the top selling tri bike every year. That’s how important ‘‘the look’’ is.
Have to agree with one exception. The 2005 P3-SL is a classic and beautiful.
How important to you is the look of how good your gear is?
Ranging from running shoes, to goggles to bikes and everything in between.
Bascially, how much more are you willing to pay for something with the same functionality but it just looks cooler?
For, me it’s all about the style. A lot of people talk about the “most aero this and that” or the wheel with the best yaw #'s and it’s all a buch a horse poop anyway so might as well just pick nice looking stuff becasuse you will enjoy it more.
Have to admit if I don’t like the way it looks I will generally not purchase it!
Cervelo’s have had the ugliest paint jobs in the bicycle business and they are the **top selling tri bike every year. ** That’s how important ‘‘the look’’ is.
Got any actual data to back that up? BTW, Kona bike count does NOT equal top selling bike.
Personal fact: I will pay more for things that are matte black.
I will never understand the people like you haha
I won’t necessarily pay more but I love it. The only thing not black on my tri bike is the white athletic tape on the extensions since I couldn’t find my roll of black. Once the white was on and filthy though I couldn’t change it (yes I said filthy and still is!) Being the only white part it just seemed so intentional, like it served a special purpose.
Current frame is gloss black, I may take it a part shortly and satin it though.
I have black wheels on all my cars too.
Have to admit if I don’t like the way it looks I will generally not purchase it!
Yep. I won’t purchase something JUST because it looks good. But if it works well and is ugly, I’ll look for something almost as good that looks better.
Have to admit if I don’t like the way it looks I will generally not purchase it!
Yep. I won’t purchase something JUST because it looks good. But if it works well and is ugly, I’ll look for something almost as good that looks better.
I can’t look myself in the mirror & honestly deny this.
If you’ve ever seen any of my race photos, you’d know that I don’t care too much about looks…and from the looks of others’ race photos, they don’t either! 
How important to you is the look of how good your gear is?
Ranging from running shoes, to goggles to bikes and everything in between.
Bascially, how much more are you willing to pay for something with the same functionality but it just looks cooler?
A much bigger factor than I’d like to admit.
I try to keep things at least a little coordinated with my racing kit but otherwise I’m more concerned with how I look when I’m on the podium later.
I try to be fast, but if all else fails, I strive to look good.
Bling is the thing.
For, me it’s all about the style. A lot of people talk about the “most aero this and that” or the wheel with the best yaw #'s and it’s all a buch a horse poop anyway so might as well just pick nice looking stuff becasuse you will enjoy it more.
I’m having a hard time thinking about going back to ski bends from s bends purely from an aesthetic stand point even if it seems they usually (always??) test better.
Cervelo’s have had the ugliest paint jobs in the bicycle business and they are the top selling tri bike every year. That’s how important ‘‘the look’’ is.
That, plus a shitload of advertising and peer influence. I think those that say they buy a cervelo - or whatever - entirely on performance are delusional, naive or both.
Given that the standards for triathlon equipment have gotten so much better that the differences in speed are nearly negligible to all but the fastest amateurs in comparison to other variability in performance (I fall in this category), looks are the predominant factor when I buy something tri-related.
I will however get something uglier if it really doesn’t function that well. For example, the rear-bottle holders on my seat just didn’t work well for me - constant bottle ejections even with gorilla cages, so those went by the wayside. Too much splashing with the aerodrink between the bars - swapped for an regular plain vanilla bottle holder.
But for most of the other stuff, like bike frame, running shoes, tri outfit, it’s ALL about the looks. Even my race wheels, which I tell myself, give me a chance to podium (I’m usually very close if I miss it), are still all about the looks in all honesty.
I thought this was going to be a Lance Armstrong thread.