Does the way your bike looks matter?

[Dobroknow]

Rat Rod Bikes..

i like the vintage look of the bikes that some start with , but your install has to be clean and not messy looking . i build these bike for Re-Sale so it has to LOOK reliable . I solder & wrap wiring . hide what you can . trim fenders . no rattles or leaks .
Check out my current build in the picture gallery at the top.
" Micargi Rover "

 

[themotorbikeguy]

thanks to all that replied
my bikes look bad but my fastest which looks horrible
tops out at almost 44-45 mph
and it is reliable it hasnt broke down on me in almost a year

 

[Al.Fisherman]

My main concern in a MB is reliability, looks without reliability is nice but won't get you from point "A" to point "B". Like I said before, this is a toy. I buy used bikes (clean them up the best we can) for myself and build them to be trouble free. I don't care about speed. But you can have looks and reliability at the same time.

 

[Hawaii_Ed]

Well, not show looks, but certainly quality. I have many wear marks on the bike, but I want it to look polished, and well put together.

 

[Tinker1980]

I have long adhered to the belief that it doesn't matter how it looks, it simply has to work correctly. It needs to be reliable first, easy to repair second, fast third.

 

[motorpsycho]

yes looks are important to me. I like to customize stuff, make my own parts when i can, and have a nice shiney paint job. cleanly routed wiring and placememnt of the electrical components is also imprtant. I don't like my bike (or anything else that i build) to look cluttered, or look like it has too much stuff on it.
when i take my car to a car show, i also bring my bike. I think it would look really strange having a really nice looking custom car, and a crappy looking bike together. speed is important, but only to a certain point, i mean how fast do you want to go on a bicycle anyway? 28-30 mph is fine for me.
dependability is also a plus, but i don't ride my bike every day, and i don't rely on it for my main mode of transportation.
i think that the way something looks that YOU built, says a lot about who you are, and what kind of work you are capable of doing. this can lead to others asking you for help, or for you to build them a bike...which could lead to extra $$ in your pocket for more bike parts.

 

[blankbox7]

Reliability and quality comes first, then looks. I like bikes that look dirty and rode alot, but a bike that looks totally abused is not what I'm looking for. My bike has the reliability and quality I need, but I would certainly like it to look good as well

 

[loquin]

IMO, comfort & reliability come first, by a long shot. That being said, I try to keep the bike clean - it's easier to maintain, that way.

And, I want a bicycle that looks like a bicycle, not a motorcycle wannabe. So, I prefer rack mounts.

 

[motorbikemike45]

Safety and reliability come first. I try to make my bikes look good to me. As to the opinions of others, meh.

 

[Fabian]

Have to say yes, and then yes again.

The way your bike looks represents your professionalism on making a first class piece of equipment.
I go so far as to apply white paint to 7 links of my shift kit chain and final drive chain to the rear cassette; making the mechanical operation look more interesting as the eye is able to follow the chains around not only the rear derailleur but also my shift kit chain tensioner.

Fabian