I had a guy stop me last night...

...and ask where he could get his bike converted. Outside Tesco's on Bethnal Green Road

Just a dude who was stoked on fixed, I pointed him at this forum - and Brick Lane Bikes.

I also saw a guy checking out my bike today where it was locked up - not a dodgy geezer, just someone who was interested.

This seems to be happening a lot...

Yup, at critical mass some old geezer who was there to wach the swing band was asking about mine "you're the fouth fixed gear rided I've seen in the last half hour". He said he went to a bike shop and they told him no-one sells them anymore! So of course I put him straight...

It's not that I don't like the fact that it's popular..... but at the shop we are getting an awful lot of city/rich w**kers who have never ridden fixed before buying the most expensive builds and parts for expensive frames from elsewhere, all because it's cool, or poular, or the thing to be doing..... At first it was Shoreditch types, now, it's city boys..... I know which one i'd rather ride with!.... actually I'm not sure

But they bring a lot of money into it which is a good thing. Can only mean more parts in stock and more shops. This is what happens with things that all of a sudden become trendy

I'd ride with anyone, so long as they have a love for cycling.

jonaent (Jon) It's not that I don't like the fact that it's popular..... but at the shop we are getting an awful lot of city/rich w**kers who have never ridden fixed before buying the most expensive builds and parts for expensive frames from elsewhere, all because it's cool, or poular, or the thing to be doing..... At first it was Shoreditch types, now, it's city boys..... I know which one i'd rather ride with!.... actually I'm not sure

Which is exactly the attitude I got last time I went to Brick Lane Bikes. Like I was being judged, presumed to be a hipster or something. Never mind the fact that a customer is a customer, a person a person and you're not inherently a wanker for being wealthy or working in the city. Did they all explain that their reasons for buying the bike were because "it's cool, or poular, or the thing to be doing"? Or were you just being elitest?

Maybe, I'm just in a bad mood today.... i just feel like I worked hard on cycling and bikes by scrapping parts together for a beater and then swapping them out and learning, and meeting guys that helped me and building and cutting and riding shit things.... until I'd earned something better.... the Mercian, I would have felt so dumb riding that before I'd learned about ratios, and BBs and headsets and tubing and wheels etc. etc., and all the physics and shit that goes with cycling, fixed wheel, skidding..... Maybe that's just me being weird.....

no harm intended

xx

P.S. I don't work on the shop floor at BrickLane, so it's not me that u need to shout at.... I do understand what people say about the guys on the floor there, but I do see their point also

I bought a track frame a few years ago in my 2nd year of uni, it was cheap, looked cool and was a great ride. When i needed some money i sold it.
This was just as fixed wheel bikes were gaining popularity.
I got 3 times what I paid for it which was great at the time, i wonder what i could get for it now?
Or is fixed gear over?
I guess city types have the cash to spend so let them spend it. I covet the shiney parts as much as the next man but always look for the bargain, plus I have most of the tools required to build bikes myself. Which is handy.

What happens to the small startups when the money moves on?

jonaent (Jon) It's not that I don't like the fact that it's popular..... but at the shop we are getting an awful lot of city/rich w**kers who have never ridden fixed before buying the most expensive builds and parts for expensive frames from elsewhere, all because it's cool, or poular, or the thing to be doing..... At first it was Shoreditch types, now, it's city boys..... I know which one i'd rather ride with!.... actually I'm not sure

I fucking hate this attitude, I have lusted after bikes since I was a kid, I could never afford the stuff I wanted and now (after years of hard work) I can finally afford some of the things I have been staring at through the window for years, and what happens when you go in excited that you can finally afford your dream frame, hub or wheelset, someone thinks you are a cunt for whatever reason and you are treated like shit.

Oh, well that's people for you.

People on bikes are good, regardless of whether they are rich, poor, black, white, fat, uncool, or super duper hipster.

Hammo What happens to the small startups when the money moves on?

More moaning that the city w**kers don't come in any more.

as long as estate agents don't start riding fixed then we'll be ok

I mean, if city boys are getting bikes, then how can we stereotype them and say they all drive BMWs and are wankers?

RPM I mean, if city boys are getting bikes, then how can we stereotype them and say they all drive BMWs and are wankers?

We'll find a way ;-p

i'm surprised by the "earn your spurs" kind of comments you get on here sometimes, we all ride bikes, roadbikes, mtb's, bmx's and you learn different things on all of them, but the basics remain the same, I have a bit of cash burning a hole in my pocket and I'm going to spend it on whatever I want, just because I'm moving from riding a banged up mtb to getting on a fixed wheel, doesn't mean I have to start at the bottom all over again. you ride what you want and what you can afford. I'm not going to look down on anyone who wants to build a beater or spend a little more cash on their frame, or searches on ebay all day looking for bargains or someone who goes and buys as much phil wood's stuff as they can get their hands on.
What is underground, becomes popular goes overground, everyone buys into it, you either find some other form of cycling, unicycling anyone! which is underground, you wait for the poseurs and the bandwagon jumpers to get over it and to sell their bikes for cheap, snapping up bargains as you go, or you just ride and enjoy riding and building up bikes and talking about bikes and it doesn't matter what everyone else does, because your doing what you want to do.
Everyone wants to be part of a tribe, but you never want the tribe to be to big, or to popular, otherwise it doesn't make it special if anyone can join and knows about it. Personally the more people who come to cycling/fixed gear the better and I'll take them on their personalities rather than how they got into riding their bikes. If they're cnuts they're cnuts. Whether they are riding a fixed gear or not.

RPM as long as estate agents don't start riding fixed then we'll be ok

Mmm, the Foxton's Langster.

Jesus wept!

cornelius blackfoot i'm surprised by the "earn your spurs" kind of comments you get on here sometimes, we all ride bikes, roadbikes, mtb's, bmx's and you learn different things on all of them, but the basics remain the same, I have a bit of cash burning a hole in my pocket and I'm going to spend it on whatever I want, just because I'm moving from riding a banged up mtb to getting on a fixed wheel, doesn't mean I have to start at the bottom all over again. you ride what you want and what you can afford. I'm not going to look down on anyone who wants to build a beater or spend a little more cash on their frame, or searches on ebay all day looking for bargains or someone who goes and buys as much phil wood's stuff as they can get their hands on.
What is underground, becomes popular goes overground, everyone buys into it, you either find some other form of cycling, unicycling anyone! which is underground, you wait for the poseurs and the bandwagon jumpers to get over it and to sell their bikes for cheap, snapping up bargains as you go, or you just ride and enjoy riding and building up bikes and talking about bikes and it doesn't matter what everyone else does, because your doing what you want to do.
Everyone wants to be part of a tribe, but you never want the tribe to be to big, or to popular, otherwise it doesn't make it special if anyone can join and knows about it. Personally the more people who come to cycling/fixed gear the better and I'll take them on their personalities rather than how they got into riding their bikes. If they're cnuts they're cnuts. Whether they are riding a fixed gear or not.

Well said !

RPM as long as estate agents don't start riding fixed then we'll be ok

At least they wouldn't be able to terrorise other road users quite as much as they do in those Minis and Beetles. An estate agent logo on a car is up there with four-way flashers as a warning signal: 'I'm about to do something really, really stupid.'

I'm not a city boy, but I am a 'suit'.

I lurked on here for a while, went into BLB, tried some bikes, and walked out with my Fuji.

I'd put in some half-hearted bids on eBay, but since I hadn't ridden fixed I didn't want to commit myself. Once I tried the bikes I knew that the Fuji was right for me. I had the money so I bought it. Also, the staff in BLB were perfectly pleasant to me even though it was gone 7, and they were busy.

That's the way I did it. I don't look down on anybody who builds up their bikes over time; saving to get what they want and enjoying what they do. I've no doubt that they have a greater satisfaction riding their own hand built and customised bike - and good for them. Actually, I changed the rear sprocket and I'm giving away the the one that it came with to somebody on the forum.

When I went on the first Bridges Ride I was a little nervous about turning up with my shiny, 1 week old, stock bike. I was half expecting to be sneered at as a 'wannabee'. But it didn't happen. Everyone I spoke to was really welcoming, which is why I like riding with you guys.

True; I didn't turn up to pose as a hipster. I turned up to ride. I enjoy riding. I love riding my fixed. I love riding it so much that I've only ridden my hybrid once since I got my Fuji. Sure, people are going to buy a particular type of bike because it's cool. But some of those people may find that they like riding it - and they'll keep riding it once the coolth has gone. Surely that can only be a good thing?

So, yeah. I'm a suit. I ride a shop bought bike. I wear Rapha. I can't trackstand. I don't skid. But I love riding my fixed wheel bike, and I like riding with other people who love riding whatever type of bike they ride. Look down on me if you like; but I'm still gonna ride.

threedaymonk [quote]RPM as long as estate agents don't start riding fixed then we'll be ok

At least they wouldn't be able to terrorise other road users quite as much as they do in those Minis and Beetles. An estate agent logo on a car is up there with four-way flashers as a warning signal: 'I'm about to do something really, really stupid.'[/quote]

strangely, their jobs are actually suited to cycling quite well.

being able to turn up on time at loads of local addresses on a daily basis is prime bike territory, driving themselves in some coloured, petrol driven toy-box is pretty vulgar.

I know some of them give the clients a lift, but many of them are not insured to do so.

stompy I'm not a city boy, but I am a 'suit'.

I lurked on here for a while, went into BLB, tried some bikes, and walked out with my Fuji.

I'd put in some half-hearted bids on eBay, but since I hadn't ridden fixed I didn't want to commit myself. Once I tried the bikes I knew that the Fuji was right for me. I had the money so I bought it. Also, the staff in BLB were perfectly pleasant to me even though it was gone 7, and they were busy.

That's the way I did it. I don't look down on anybody who builds up their bikes over time; saving to get what they want and enjoying what they do. I've no doubt that they have a greater satisfaction riding their own hand built and customised bike - and good for them. Actually, I changed the rear sprocket and I'm giving away the the one that it came with to somebody on the forum.

When I went on the first Bridges Ride I was a little nervous about turning up with my shiny, 1 week old, stock bike. I was half expecting to be sneered at as a 'wannabee'. But it didn't happen. Everyone I spoke to was really welcoming, which is why I like riding with you guys.

True; I didn't turn up to pose as a hipster. I turned up to ride. I enjoy riding. I love riding my fixed. I love riding it so much that I've only ridden my hybrid once since I got my Fuji. Sure, people are going to buy a particular type of bike because it's cool. But some of those people may find that they like riding it - and they'll keep riding it once the coolth has gone. Surely that can only be a good thing?

So, yeah. I'm a suit. I ride a shop bought bike. I wear Rapha. I can't trackstand. I don't skid. But I love riding my fixed wheel bike, and I like riding with other people who love riding whatever type of bike they ride. Look down on me if you like; but I'm still gonna ride.

Another Well said !!!

Hell yeah !!

:)

I love my bike.

i think in a previous thread i may have made a link between foxton's minis and london langsters. just coming back to take the credit there.

thanks everyone.

Nicholas I love my bike.

Shame on you.

You can't just love your bike, you need first to find (not buy) parts to make an old beater, swap them around for better parts, perhaps learn how to build a frame, learn about ratios, bottom bracket sizing and fitting, you need a complete and encyclopedic knowledge of wheel building, what are the best and most applicable tyres and tubes and you will also need to be schooled in the physics of cycling and skidding.

Only then can you love your bike.

i came into fixed gear recently through my american cousin- i half built my bike (its still in the works, btw- and so are 2 more) learnt everything i could from here, stopping random riders on teh street, Putney cycles, holdsworths and even BLB, which is where i learnt that money well spent means a shit-hot bike.
But I also worked fucking hard this holiday at a boring job- so i could a) afford a new bike for uni (i had my last knicked in the last week) and b) go on holiday.
So i bought a cheap holiday and a really nice bike- just so i could have a proper working one to work on my fixed ability.
And i'm still learning.
Incidentally cycling, bikes and building stuff are three hobbies where i sink a fair bit of money anyway- me and my dad are looking into refitting an engine in a car soon.
My car this summer has done two days worth of driving- to devon and back, i cycle everywhere and love the fact in london you pass everyone, and they all look fucking miserable.

leeww [quote]Nicholas I love my bike.

Shame on you.

You can't just love your bike, you need first to find (not buy) parts to make an old beater, swap them around for better parts, perhaps learn how to build a frame, learn about ratios, bottom bracket sizing and fitting, you need a complete and encyclopedic knowledge of wheel building, what are the best and most applicable tyres and tubes and you will also need to be schooled in the physics of cycling and skidding.

Only then can you love your bike.[/quote]

Ah.... I'll.. er.. I'll get me coat.