I’m struggling with a new bike we built at the shop.  We call it the “circus bike” because it has more colors than a three ring circus.  We made it as an example of all the different colored bike parts that people can add to their bikes.  Some might refer to it as ugly, but I think it’s cool…in an ugly sort of way. Despite my opinion, the real issue I have is less about vanity and more about my global conscience. I can’t help but wonder if our building a bike full of wildly colorful NEW parts is encouraging people to buy new parts to replace perfectly good ones?  Did we build a bike that lends more to the need for “personal flair” than the need to use less oil and make less of an environmental impact?  Everywhere I look I’m made aware that one of our major problems as Americans is our wastefulness. I feel I usually set a good example of how easy it is to make small changes in an effort to curb consumption, but I fear the Circus Bike is not my best
example. However, on the other hand replacing worn out parts with colored parts is perfectly reasonable. Anything that encourages someone to ride a bicycle versus using other methods of transport is
always a good idea by me. -even if the bike is built in name of fashion couture. Afterall, we’re still Americans and you need to take the good with the bad while trying to limit the bad.

-Kingston

p.s. email if you’re interested in trading your colored “pieces of flair” with other bikers. I’d like to hook up a colored parts re-cycling program. contact@varsitybike.com