What made you start riding fixed?

What with the increasing fashionability of fixed wheel bikes (see Men's Health UK/ Loaded features), I'm interested to know what your motivation is for riding fixed.
For me, the attraction lay in a strong alternative subculture similar to skateboarding. The simplicity of a track bike also appealed to me. And I'd be lying if I said there wasn't an aesthetic attraction too. Cos I'm a superficial cunt.

To look cool.

Peer pressure.

freewheel seized up

Does anyone have a copy of the recent Loaded feature?

simplicity

The voices

Jesus.

Meeting Nelson Vails.
[URL="http://www.londonfgss.com/members3166-albums201-picture1705.html"][/URL]

The voices

...in your head?

Me, too.

...in your head?

Me, too.

They said I was the only one....

I feel so used.

Started to ride fixed? I have never ridden anything else. My first toddler bike was fixed! Tsss, amateurs.

curiosity.

I was building a ss mtb and it was little extra effort/cost to get a back wheel that I could try fixed

For me, the attraction lay in a strong alternative subculture similar to skateboarding.

fucking hell, is that what this is?

i'm out.

A bigger boy made me

Too old to commute on a BMX anymore. Wanted something bigger/faster, and couldn't be bothered with gears.

people wanting to ride fixed because of wanting to join "a strong alternative subculture" FFS.
why not join the scientologists? they have a strong subculture. not cool enough? punk is on it's way back due to the economic/social unrest. the clothes are cheap and you get to legitimately gob on people.

i rode fixed because i wanted a bike to commute on and to get fit. the desperate yearning to be different from the mainstream and be cool i'm still saving up for.

i heard all the cool kids were doing it...

In all seriousness, I was fed up with all the bikes I purchased breaking constantly. Plus I needed to build up my knee muscles.

freewheel seized up

+1
Buffalo Bill zip-tied my cassette to my spokes for a joke and I never bothered cutting them off

see Men's Health UK/ Loaded features

no thanks

Started planning my first bike build.
Was doing a lot of research.
Stumbled across Sheldon Browns site.

F**k, my bike got no gears or freewheel!

This must have happened to quite a few people.

The logic behind going fixed for me was lack of free time. Having a small child means dispearing for 3 or 4 hours for a ride is just not doable. I figured that a fixed gear bike would give me an equivalent work-out, in much less time.

Always thought this to be somewhat original reasoning.
Untill I read exactly the same reasoning in CyclingPlus (they stole it from my head, I swear).

My dad forced me to do it... as a birthday present.

What a callous bastard.

Because
a) because I had found the Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub far superior to multi-speed derallieurs, so figured eliminating gears and freewheels altogether would suit me even more.
b) because a bike looks cool stripped down to its bare essentials.
c) because there is a connection between machine and man, man.
d) because I wanted to play Polo (not that I ever have.)
e) because I like rolling up my trouser legs.
f) because the watching the olympics made me want to ride on a velodrome
g) because I really need more exercise. especially if I'm to do f.
h) because I like riding bikes and going to the pub equally. well maybe the pub a bit more.
i) erm...
j) that's it.

To join this forum, otherwise I'd still be lurking.