[CR]re: worst bike color.

(Example: History)

Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:56:52 -0700 (PDT)
From: "dave martinez" <dmart84815@yahoo.com>
To: CR List <ClassicRendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR]re: worst bike color.

Hello All,

About 13 years I placed an order for a Hetchins tandem. How exciting! It was fun working out the details and sending them to Hetchins. The final and perhaps one of the more important details was to be the color combo. I wanted to get it right, so over the phone we discussed the colors using a Bob Jackson color chart, which both of us were using as reference. The colors were choosen. An Italian azuro enamel (light blue) main color and flamboyant red panels and headtube, with gold accents. Wow! 6 months later the frame arrives. My heart races as I carefully open the box, my stoker wife and our very young boys watch with equal anticipation. The bubble wrap is removed to reveal a dark metalic blue with flamboyant red contrasting panels and head tube. The blue was wrong! Way off, and the colors clashed-terribly. I tried mounting components in hopes that a Campagnolo crank or NR seatpost with a Brooks would bring out the any hidden beauty in this unlikely combo. The parts did nothing to soften the impact. I called David, he apologised and I sent the frame back to England for a respray. This time I made it simple, main color flamboyant red with contrasting pearl ivory panels and head lug (remember that Matchbox XKE Jaguar?). 2 months later when the frame arrived for the second time. Me and my little audience let out a little applause, "it looked simply smashing" as our Brit brothers would say.

Regards,
David Martinez
Fremont Ca
US of A