You are reading a single comment by @Fixed&Broken and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@Fixed&Broken
Critical mass is a strange beast, in some ways I love it but I also find it hugely frustrating. Most of the people that get slowed down or held up are just normal joes trying to get where they are going, slowing them down for a bit with a huge mass of bikes misses the point to my mind, I mean most people don't even know why the hell all those bikes are there. The attitude of some of the riders also worries me, it's seen as a revenge against the motorist which is rather indiscriminate. Yes, the world would be a better place with more bikes and less cars but revenge is never a good motivation. Most of the folks are just their for the social, lots of the student types will doubtless be calling mummy this weekend to tell them they are now eco-bike-protest-swampy-wannabies and that's also cool.
I joined in for a while last night after I picked up my bike. I shot off for a blast on my own when the usual chaos ensued trying to get onto the dual carriage way. I think city centre is a better place to do it. I've spoken to a few bemused bystanders and explained what we were doing before now, something you just can't do on a quick road.
It's a painfully slow ride and being on a freewheel I couldn't even use it as a bit of leg training. Props to those that give up their time to not be the organiser(s) but I think the festival work does more to achieve the true aims of mass. I shouldn't complain tho, I met the GF on a mass ride last year so it does have a soft spot in my heart... ;-)
The true game of CM really is guessing which of her bikes Nes will be riding!!