OK guys, after my last post and the feedback given, it seems an SL8 is a good choice.
Next dilemma is colour, and my question is - does the Red Bull team frame look daft? I know it’s personal and no one but me can really decide, but it’s still good to get an idea of what others think.
I personally love the look, but I’m also aware of the look of someone riding a team bike in a group ride who isn’t putting out team numbers!
Pic attached of the frame in question.
Cheers
If in doubt get the bloody frame. It’s not going to be avail in those colors forever. Will become something some fool will pay good money for when you retire that steed.
If you like it, buy it. Who cares about karens in your group ride?
If you like it, fine. Personally, I have no affiliation with or interest in Red Bull. I don’t use their products. I wouldn’t fly their colors. For me, it’d be a little like having a random ad on my bike.
Buy it, have a red bull in a bottle cage and slam it when you win the town sign sprint.
This is the only right answer.
I would feel weird riding it, but wouldn’t care if a friend had it. Never tried a Red Bull and they’d have to pay me to try one.
Do you like it and can afford it? Go forth and buy it with the forum’s blessing 
Personally, I would opt for the SD Worx frame instead, so sick.
i wouldn’t care what anyone thinks
and in case you’re worried about it, no one in the group cares what your numbers are. they just care about their own numbers.
get whatever makes you happy and makes you wanna go ride it.
to me, that bike looks awesome. not that you should care what I think.
ETA: only thing that would make me look twice is if you show up in one those pointy helmets, you better be fast.
It’s the only good looking SL8 paint IMO because it hides that headtube situation well
Not caring what others think is generally sound advice except in the case of bike stuff there seem to be plenty of people out there that will simply not let things go. It can become tiresome hearing about blah blah rule number whatever. In fact, it puts people off riding because of it. Certainly seems better the last few years (I credit gravel’s influence for this shift). Some people just want to have a good time and not have to defend their aesthetic choices all the time from gate keepers. Others are more comfortable with the F off button 
For what it’s worth my opinion is that that livery is pretty sick as is most of Red Bull’s branding. The aesthetic appeals to me, AND I love me some coconut berry RB. Sugar free original is no slouch either.
I like the Redbull paint jobs myself and the SL8. If op likes it he might as well get it, my take is no matter what paint job your SL8 has, or really whatever nice bike you get there’s going to be somebody out there who thinks you need to hear their opinion of it. For that matter you could be thrifty with your purchase and someone will have something to say about that too. Might as well get what floats your boat as the only way you’ll avoid this completely is riding alone.
Same for me. There isn’t a single Red Bull rider that I absolutely love and would want to be affiliated with.
That said, I think it looks pretty cool and I wouldn’t look down on anyone riding one.
The best SL7 I ever saw was the Legion custom paint SL7 and I’d seriously be tempted even though I’ve never been a fanboy and frequently didn’t like their chip on the shoulder attitude.
It is a very good looking frame. If you like it, go for it. For me, I tend to keep my bikes for many years, so I usually try and avoid very distinct paint jobs that really tie a frame to an era. Something like this tends to really date a frame. That isn’t a bad thing, but I just prefer more nondescript paint jobs that tend to be a little more timeless.
Color is always personal. My feeling is simple: if I buy a sports car or its two-wheeled, human powered analog, there is no way it’ll be in white, gray or black. I want color! My road bike is in an approximation of Porsche Carrera yellow, a warm, bright yellow.
However, me ≠ you, and since you wrote that you “love the look”, who cares what others think. The “not putting out numbers” thing seems quite unique amongst cyclists. The majority thinks it is daft to e. g. put on stripes (national or world champion) if you haven’t earned it. Meanwhile you can buy soccer jerseys that are adorned not just with the number and name of your favorite player, but proudly feature the number of championships embroidered on the front (typically as stars for World and European Championships). Ditto for most other sports, be it basketball, football and hockey.
From that perspective, I wouldn’t care. Back when I lived in Japan, there was one guy who would occasionally join us on our group ride. He rocked a Pinarello Dogma F (not sure of the generation), but it was the exact TdF spec. You could tell he was a bit timid, because he wasn’t the fastest. I always thought “Who tf cares? Do you enjoy riding it? If the answer is ‘yes’, then by all means!”
That being said, you can wrap a bike or have it painted. So if you can get a good deal on it and hate the color, you can either resell it like @TrekCentury suggested or have it painted.
Well it’s ordered! I reckon it’s gonna look killer, might post some pics on here when it’s built
The spotlight effect is defined as “a tendency of people to overestimate the extent to which others notice aspects of one’s appearance or behavior and the extent to which they are aware of it.” This is a simple concept, but it’s far from obvious. We are all guilty of grossly overestimating the extent to which people are observing, judging, or remembering their appearance or behavior.
Said more simply, buy the bike, nobody cares what we do as much as we care about what they think.
Good call. Enjoy!
I love a Red Bull livery on a bicycle. I probably wouldn’t wear one of the RB Team helmets, but I’d definitely go for the bike.
