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I was just spending a quiet afternoon enjoying the time to think while I finished off a new wheel build. One of the habits I have got into is to remove the labels and stickers off everything I can. It always takes far longer than it ever feels it should so I was questioning why I do it. I concluded that it's partly because I prefer the plainer finish, but also because I don’t really want to be a riding advertising board. Given how badly I ride a bike, I can only imagine the bike companies would be pleased by this too!
This left me wondering, if I’m disgruntled about showing bike brands, what would I be happy to represent on my bike?
That’s a rambling introduction to a thread to bring awareness to people doing good things that you would be happy to advertise on your bike.
So please share a link to who you would advertise – give them a bit of air time. Even better let us know if they do stickers!
Bonus points for anyone who already does this – share a picture of your stickers!
My first suggestion would be Drosi Bikes. A community bike workshop in Llangollen who were kind enough to take some tyres off me and put them to good purpose.
https://drosibikes.org/our-story/
Singletrack Magazine. (If that's not a little suck-uppy)
Seem like stand up guys. 👍
Components have branding on, but I would go for anything too garish.
I ain't puttin any stickers on my bikes! That's what the tool box, roof box, or other...err...boxes.....are for!
I’m just not fussed what decals come on any bike or components, frankly, not that I’ve ridden for years; it saves people keep asking what the bike is if I’m stopped somewhere.
However, I do have one bike with nothing on the frame at all, it’s just plain bare metal with the minimal amount of clear lacquer to stop it going rusty. All the components have decals on, though.
This one, however, is perfectly fine showing off what it is, and what it’s got fitted to it.
I don’t want anything written on my bikes or my clothes. BUT, I have a Kona Band Wagon SS and if it ever needed repaired and repainted, I’d have the name and logo put back. There’s something iconic/not shouty about Kona.
There was a period where Cannondale wrote “CANNONDALE” on every frickin tube on a bike! Nope!
I prefer totally without logos or branding.
When I got the Shand I dithered about having the frame without logos. Every component is either destickered or a part of the reason for choosing it was minimal / subtle logos as its hard to get quality components without any
I picked up an old Roberts road frame years ago, iirc it had twenty-one Roberts stickers or engravings just on the frame and forks - there wasn’t room for anyone else’s.
Parts without any markings look wrong to me, like unfinished or fakes. I don't like shouty markings but a subtle one is good. Think polished logo on otherwise brushed raw ti frame or the stealth logo halo offer on rims (gloss logo on matt rim). The on-one above is just the right side of too much. I'll not buy components with shouty markings.
I don't really care either way. I don't like frames without some sort of marking/colour variation though and often the brand name is just enough to break it up (maybe I subconsciously think bare frames are shonky?). I have two custom Ti frames and applied some decals to both. One is a brand name, the other is an old username of mine.
I'd never buy anything from Planet X/On One, which is the only brand I can currently think of that I'd refuse to "advertise".
I don't really think about the logos as I buy components based on their ability to do a job but I do like the subtlety of the branding on some components.
The subtle logo on my Cotic Rocket is lovely. It's there but you have to concentrate to read it (it's the black wrap-around style before the current one). People who know their bikes ask if it is a Cotic as even the headtube badge is quite subtle despite being orange!
The Hope logos on their carbon bars are subtle too, doesn't detract from the superb carbon weave and join at all.
I like the matte Schwalbe logos on the tyres too, much better than the shouty Maxxis yellow.
The Ergon branding on some of their saddles is good too, just being embossed into the fabric.
I'm definitely a 'subtle is best' person.
Parts without any markings look wrong to me, like unfinished or fakes.
I've swapped out OEM stuff before due to it looking fake.
I much prefer the stealth look. I think raw frames look the best.
There was a YouTube video I watched where they use rubber paint to remove all the logos. I like to line up my logos so I can work out where punctures are.
My bike currently has a load of bags strapped to it ready for Badger divide. I currently look like an alpkit sponsored rider on a photo shoot.
I think a couple of subtle, unobtrusive logos are fine.
There’s a similarly classy V10 that I can’t for the life of me fine a pic of.