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Like how did you guys/girls find out about it?
Concept - don't remember to be honest. I think I saw one around town once a few years back and was curious.
Mechanics - fixedgeargallery.com, sheldon brown.
Why are you interested in "fixie's"
My geared bike (a godawful hybrid at the time) was stolen a few years back. Karma, really - I bought it down Brick Lane before I knew any better.
Decided a) that I hated maintaing derailleurs, and b) that I wanted to build my own bike (preferably one that wouldn't be fashionable and hence attractive to thieves - more fool me, as it transpires). Over the following years, have rather enjoyed riding the fixed wheel bike as it's easier to maintain, easier to modulate my speed while keeping up with London traffic, stops quicker and is great training.
What trips do you do?
Cycle to the gym, then to work, then home again. At the weekend, wherever I fancy going - as long as the hills aren't excessively steep.
Where do you travel?
Same question?
Do you meet other "fixie" peeps
At traffic lights. When I or they stop, that is.
Have u injured yourself?
No, but people have injured me. Taxi drove into me once, ended up with a split shoulder. Pedestrian rolled his kid's pram out in front of me - rather than hit the child at speed I opted to fall over and in the process cracked a rib.
And any other exciting pieces of info you have?
This may save you some time writing your report: http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2007/12/genuine-article-reporting-on-fixed-gear.html
Oh and pics if possible?
Sorry, no. -
lulu Hi,
i am doing a project on social trends and the "fixie" is one of my trends. i was wondering if i could have some info about it plz.
Like how did you guys/girls find out about it?
Why are you interested in "fixie's"
What trips do you do?
Where do you travel?
Do you meet other "fixie" peeps
Have u injured yourself?
And any other exciting pieces of info you have?
Oh and pics if possible?Thanks
Lulu
I'd tried most other types of cycling (except Cyclocross and Speedway - those are for nutters), then when I moved to San Francisco, I figured I might as well join in with the enormous amount of folks out here riding fixed.
I like both the lack of maintenance, the speed, the fact that - after a while - you get to the point where you don't really think about pedalling, you just do it naturally, like breathing.
Eh? If you mean 'where do you ride your bike?', the answer is 'pretty much everywhere'. I commute to work on it, which changes a 40-minute walk into an 11 minute ride (personal best so far); I ride around town for the hell of it; I ride with friends on 70-mile scenic rides; I ride pretty much everywhere except my local supermarket.
Again: eh? I don't travel to cycle, but I can assure you that, if I can take a bike, I will. You see as much of your surroundings as walking, but you can cover many times the distance. What's not to like? I don't think that this is any more relevant to a track bike than any other type.
Yes. We have secret handshakes and everything. But seriously, it's always better to ride with folks - camaraderie, encouragement, support; and the knowledge that you won't be fixing that flat in the rain on your jacks, 30 miles from home.
Not seriously, although I have had run-ins with both cars and asphalt.
People that ride brakeless because they think it's 'cool' are idiots. Thanks to the explosion in interest, bikes cost twice as much as they did four years ago. As a 'trend', track bikes are either going to go the way of the skateboard or the downhill mountain bike. They'll either become co-opted by the mainstream and used to advertise everything from computer games to breakfast cereal any time a lazy ad exec. wants their product to seem 'edgy'; or they'll have their moment in the sun and then fade back to a more niche status. I hope it will be the latter, as my wallet can't take much more of this abuse.
No pictures, I don't get out of bed for less than $10,000 - we all know you're a student, so you can't afford it.
Now here's where I become mean.
If you hate your course so much, why are you doing it? If you don't intend to learn anything from this project, why bother? I thought that going to university was a matter of educating yourself, rather than simply getting a piece of paper than means almost nothing without the knowledge to back it up. What are you intending to do with your degree once you get it?
Sorry, I'm just bitter because I didn't bother going to university and I really take issue with people that totally squander the opportunity to make themselves smarter and see the work side of it as just another obstacle in the way of a social life. Enthusiasm, damn you!
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Like how did you guys/girls find out about it?
My friend bought one from a teacher who put one together and didn't like it, and has been pushing their excellence ever since.Why are you interested in "fixie's"
I love simplicity. I was interested in putting my own bike together so I could know how it worked.What trips do you do?
Ah all over the place!Where do you travel?
Not far yet.Do you meet other "fixie" peeps
Not really, no, besides my mate who got me into it in the first place.Have u injured yourself?
Of course.And any other exciting pieces of info you have?
Gordon Ramsay is hilarious.Oh and pics if possible?
Away and shite. -
you knows it ba...
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how is your sister
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Why are you interested in "fixie's"
Most enjoyable way of biking around the city. And the aesthetics of fixed gear bikes suit my right dominant brainWhat trips do you do?
Only way I get around The Smoke unless I have to a)lug my camera gear around, b)hanging out with pedestrian friends.Where do you travel?
London!Do you meet other "fixie" peeps
Yes. Currently living with one, next door to a house full of them.Have u injured yourself?
In my early days of fixed gear, attempting a Jamaican skid got me a broken collar bone, fractured skull and a month off workAnd any other exciting pieces of info you have?
Barcelona is fucking ace! (Just got back from holiday there).Oh and pics if possible?
Normally behind the camera, but I've always liked this one -
bunch of softies.
ok.
Why are you interested in "fixie's"?
My mate Carlos wouldn't shut up about them, blah blah blah, fixed gear this, fixed gear that... you know? haha! yeah, he really pricked my interest and having a ride on his was both exciting and terrifying.
I really got into the aesthetics of the bikes. having riden and customised my old school bmx for a year, it seemed a good next step. its been fun and frustrating converting my bike, but i love it like it were my offspring.
What trips do you do?
all weather commutering, save for them days your soaked getting it out the shed. trips to tesco, social events like polo, fun rides, going for drinks and food. everything.
Where do you travel?
never left london on it yet, its perfect for london travel.
Do you meet other "fixie" peeps?
shudder. yeah, at social things like polo, and dweebing it up on the forum i guess. social events are good for bike porn and learning new stuff.
Have u injured yourself?
the odd shin burger but no spills yet. i've had plently of spills on geared bikes, into cars, trees, the ground... riding fixed is smoother, more fluid, seems to lend itself to staying safe... (not jinxed, not jinxed, not jinxed...)
And any other exciting pieces of info you have?
you can hit pidgeons even if you don't want to.
Oh and pics if possible?
soz. -
winston I ride a fixed wheel bicycle coz my dad did and his dad before him......it's not trendy, it's dangerous.
We know it's not your fault it's trendy, no one's blaming you, but oh it is trendy!! No point in denying that if a student from Preston (cause she can't be arsed to leave) is doing a project on it because her prof told her to do so. That's friggin' trendy.
My dad rides a bike, my grandpa rode a tractor. -
winston and aidan
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somebody with better skills than me needs to do an alterantive voice over for that
without arrospok, circle of bike is not comprete young aidain
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my great grandad did...
it's an interesting phenomenon....but like all trends it has a time limit, plenty of people on here claim they're not into it because of it's current high coolometer rating....I can remember saying I'll be a punk forever... how long 'til ebay prices come back down as people move on to the next thing?
Hopefully there will still be a decent amount of human fixed wheel conversions after the exodus.
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oh gosh. just spotted this on FGG.
is this a prime example of the trendy-ness getting out of hand? or is it just a fuck ugly bike?
what's with the seat post? and the forks? and ... and... bah.
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talking of trendynes getting out of hand
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sorry sorry sorry. I don't have as much free time as you to trall the pages for every little tip bit sorry
h2o
turpe
Nicholas
aidan
big_daddy_wayne
chris_crash
billa
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roxy
hippy
ThisIsRob_(RJM)-
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Info please (social trends and "fixie" culture)
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Why are you interested in "fixie's"?
built my old bike as a singlespeed with a surly flipflop hub, and decided to flip it around to see what it was like and then didnt look back! now i have 3 fixedwheel bikes.
What trips do you do?
generally i ride from home to work and back which is about a 30 mile round trip, five days a week....not quite true at the moment with the shite weather as im being lazy and dry!
Where do you travel?
all over the world, given the funds are there. but thats with my bmx. not yet 'travelled' with my fixedwheel.
Do you meet other "fixie" peeps?
sometimes, a few friends have fixedwheel bikes. I also meet quite a few when they come into the bike shop i work at.
Have u injured yourself?
Yes, but not on my fixedwheel despite being hit by a few cars. My bmx beats the shit out of me.
And any other exciting pieces of info you have?
The flea when jumping accelerates 50 times faster than a space shuttle. Without its outer shell it would get smashed by the velocity of the jump.
Oh and pics if possible?
nope