Chris Akrigg 'just thrashing around'

I don't get the whole "tricks" scene. I view things in terms of purpose, and therefore I struggle.

Akrigg's riding goes beyond "tricks"; if you live on t'moors with all those big boulders strewn about, it must be nice to be able to just point your bike in any direction and know that you're not going to have to get off and walk* anywhere*. That's more than enough utility for me.

Acrobatic cycling is the synchronised swimming of cycling, in terms of impressive but slightly pointless skills.

Wonka EUROTRIP TEASER. on Vimeo

He's alright, but Akrigg wouldn't have ridden past all those bollards without hopping from one to another.

I don't get the whole "tricks" scene. I view things in terms of purpose, and therefore I struggle. If its a form of art, then ok, but if its anything else (maybe entertainment?), I can only relate it to synchronized swimming.

Maybe I'm just not exposed enough,, because I see cycling as either a mood of transport, or a sporting pursuit. Tricks seem a look-at-me endeavour, to my untrained eye.

Its about fun, some people get a kick out of riding 100 miles or sprinting round a velodrome at crazy speeds, others enjoy flying down a huge stair set or across a wallride, some enjoy all of the above.
Some people view a busy centre and see smooth roads or somewhere fun to enjoy riding through traffic at speed, but they might completely miss the building with the interesting architecture where there is a great set of 9 stairs and a bank to wall-ride
Its also about that adrenaline buzz, some people get off on that, just because it feels amazing.
Its about entertainment for sure, but not for other people, for the rider themselves.
Unless try it yourself and know the huge endorphin rush that you get from clearing that gap, riding that wall, or launching down those stairs and making it away unscathed, then you'll always "struggle" understand why people do it, or what drives the people that do it.

As Bruce Lee once said in one of my favourite films:

"Don't think. FEEL. It is like a finger pointing away to the moon. Do not concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory"

As Bruce Lee once said in one of my favourite films:

"Don't think. FEEL. Tried that.My case comes next week.

Do not concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory".

To the lady at the bus stop last week.I'm really sorry about that.

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^ Exactly. I dislike most fixietrickster videos because they lack any form of style and flow.
Chris Akrigg brings both those things to the scene.

Althought it's a little unfair to compare Chris to your usual fixie skidder at the top of the car park roof in Spitafield, considering that he's a very good (stratch that, he's excellent) trial rider, whether the other are merely just people who want to try trick on their fixie skidder.

Having said that, I would love to see Matt Hoffman having a butcher at riding fixed wheel.

Oh another thing, Chris ride trial bicycle brakeless, so a fixed wheel bicycle is 'easier' for him to slow down, at least that what I think.

skills or no skills ,we all ride our bikes and enjoy riding our bikes and thats all that matters .ride safe people whatever you do

Its about fun, some people get a kick out of riding 100 miles or sprinting round a velodrome at crazy speeds, others enjoy flying down a huge stair set or across a wallride, some enjoy all of the above.

And some people enjoy going up PALMERSTON ROAD. ;)

And some people enjoy going up PALMERSTON ROAD. ;)

I don't get the whole "riding up palmerston road scene", I view things in terms of fun, and therefore I struggle.

Oh and Scott, I was never comparing the two riders, Chris Akrigg is an all round amazing rider REGARDLESS of what type of bike riding we are talking about.
Just like some of my other life long cycling heroes such as Steve Geall, Steve Peat, Ashton and Hawes......I was simply posting up some vids that I thought were relevant to the discussion since I think Wonka is pretty decent at what he does, albeit with a different style, and more of a bmx influence...

some bits of frome on that vid (where i am)

Oops, I may have restarted a debate on a different bike forum, bmxs vs fixed, and someone from here managed to do a repost and brought it all up again hah.

You've posted the same picture twice Scott!

Comparing their riding even after the amount of time they've been doing it, to Chris Akrigg after just one week is like comparing this...

To this...

Wonka and most of the others still make most of what they do look ugly and clumsy.

Akrigg's riding goes beyond "tricks"; if you live on t'moors with all those big boulders strewn about, it must be nice to be able to just point your bike in any direction and know that you're not going to have to get off and walk* anywhere*. That's more than enough utility for me.

Acrobatic cycling is the synchronised swimming of cycling, in terms of impressive but slightly pointless skills.

+1 I barely ride my BMX any more (unfortunately) but the skills I gained riding BMX help me all the time when riding especially off road.

as someone that comes from racing DH and riding street MTB for 8 years, i totally understand this guys attitude. I love fixed gear, but tricks on them are just meh and it needs to stop. ( BTW, that dancing flatland leotard girl crap is amazing, but just has no style and i'd rather leave the bleachers to get a snow cone) If you want to ride street on 700c for the speed in the city AND do tricks, get 36 spokes, fatter tires, a freewheel and a brake on your volume cutter. You will have so much more fun and you will be doing bigger tricks. Theres just no advantage to a fixed for tricks like this.

thats just my opinion.

http://vimeo.com/6243020

more tricks yeah? - Though not as "smooth" as Chris Akrigg ;)

Think some of the spots he rides are in Voices. Some of them may be in Newcastle (bank with kicker - underpass), although not positive. His riding"s decent although a lot of the tricks are from BMX, but that's actually impressive. The 540 tyretap / hurricane he does is sweet.

http://vimeo.com/9824201

Chris Akrigg is back, and he's in Barcelona.

skilz. and he only does one lame skid.

Seriously impressive.

So, basically, he does what Danny McAskill has been doing on his trials bike, but on fixed?

I'm afraid I have no idea about the relative difficulties of these manoeuvres, but I still find it very impressive. I like the fact that he includes some of his failures, too, and how he's not that polished (yet?), e.g. when riding along the top of the railings. Good video.

Thweet

It looks ok. Not wanting to re-ignite a pointless discussion but doing trials/bmx trix on 700 is boring. Still prefer to watch his videos on a proper trials bike, far more graceful.

http://video.mpora.com/watch/fMDCqVmPq/

Chris Akrigg is unbelievable. I see he's been practicing.

I messaged Chris asking if he would like to come for a ride with us in Leeds as he doesn't live too far. He said that he doesn't ride fixed that much and that he was concentrating on his mbting for the time being, but maybe some time soon. You've got to admire him for generally being skilled on two wheels and enjoying different diciplines. His style, as you can see in this video, is unlike any other rider who just rides tricks on 700c fixed wheel bikes and he tries things that other people wouldn't even see! He could be one of the supremo sceney trick riders, but thats never going to happen-which is a good thing [/bumlick]

love this comment on the lsf blog from my mate sam...haha so true