These days, riding a fixie is like having a hipster gold card.

[Free Range Lobster]

http://xpress.sfsu.edu/archives/magazine/004697.html

Fixie or Forget It

by Erin Feher and Sonia Beauchamp , section editors
October 24, 2005 04:45 PM

Maurice Lee rarely leaves his apartment alone. Trusty sidekick in tow, he saunters his mid-1970s Falcon Track Bike down the stuffy hallway before he lifts its 10-pound steel frame and descends a flight of green-carpeted steps. No sooner do its wiry tires hit the lobby’s deco-patterned linoleum than Lee mounts his mare. Seatbelt-bound drivers and crosswalk-frozen pedestrians can’t help but compare his lean, six-foot plus frame with the Falcon’s sleekness as he whizzes through traffic.

But what about the bike he leaves behind?

See, Lee is a cheater. He claims to love both of his bikes, though his vintage 1980s Colnago Road Bike often goes unseen. The Colnago, in essence, is more of a long-term partner, a prized possession he takes out for long rides in Marin and the East Bay. But it spends more time collecting dust than anything else. The Falcon is his mistress, the bike he pimps out to the streets every day. As his primary transport from work to play and everything in between, Lee’s Falcon seems to be having all the fun.

“They’re two different styles of riding,” Lee, a.k.a. Evil Kniegro, says casually. Quite an understatement given that his track bike doesn't have any freaking brakes and riding one is the hottest trend to blow up since rocking an iPod.
Invented in the late 1800s, the fixed single-speed bicycle was, at its inception, the latest in bike technology. It replaced the “high wheel,” whose oversized front wheel made for a risky ride and a potentially long fall. Now, the fixed gear bicycle is being worshiped for its retro simplicity and has become a must-have accessory for stylish young urbanites blessed with a serious sense of balance. But unlike simply sporting a ‘70s style shag (potentially dangerous), taking to the city streets on a fixed-gear carries considerably more risk.

The back wheel of the bike spins in direct proportion to the speed at which the bike is pedaled, so there is no way to coast, and in most cases, no brakes.

These days, fixed-gear bikes, also called track bikes or fixies, are manufactured for use in velodromes, which are steeply banked, no-grade race tracks that cyclists circle at high speeds as part of their race training.

They’ve become popular modes of transportation in cities like San Francisco with deadly traffic and killer hills.

Choosing to tackle Twin Peaks in one gear and dodging Muni drivers without brakes—what’s not to get?

Alright, here’s a breakdown: Think of a surfer catching a barrel or a jockey steering a horse. Both are one with the elements and could crash or fall at any time. Fixie enthusiasts say their cycle style is the same, which makes it all the more exhilarating. “Riding a fixed-gear bike makes it more dynamic and heightens the experience,” Lee says.
Though it may sound more like suicide, he insists there are many ways to brake without actual brakes. “You can ride backwards to create resistance and it slows it down,” Lee says. But most of the time he doesn’t stop, whether at stop signs or red lights. “I’ve gone through lights right in front of cops and they’ve never stopped me,” he says. “I’m invisible here.”

But Lee is not a rare breed of daredevil. Fixers are everywhere and they’re taking over. A walk down Valencia Street will disprove any non-believer that the bikes have pedaled away from cult-like status and bike messenger anonymity and into the hands of just about everyone else without a Muni monthly pass or a car. Most of them in (ouch) skintight jeans.

So don’t even think about leaving home without one. These days, riding a fixie is like having a hipster gold card.

Don’t believe it? A cryptic black-and-white flyer for the Hooligan Picnic, a day of beer, BBQ and bikes that took place on October 9 on Treat Street, was stamped “Fixed Only,” and promised a day of “track stands, footdown, and skids.” If you don’t know what they mean, you’re probably not invited.

Lee admits the scene is getting out of control. He sees people throw down tons of cash in order to have the “baddest, coolest shit.” And that’s not enough. Now fixers must look the part as well. “I’ve seen dudes get a track bike, then the next day they’re dressed totally different,” Lee says. “It’s very obvious. I just try to ignore it.”

The fad of the fixed-gear has hit San Francisco hard. And as with any trend, it travels from obscurity to mainstream and everyone has an opinion.

“The fixed gear used to be a virgin—you know, pure. Now she’s a whore; everyone’s had her,” Steve ‘203’(his messenger call number) says. Steve is a San Francisco bike messenger who traded in his track bike when they entered the same realm of notoriety as the caramel macchiato.

“Riding a fixed gear in San Francisco makes as much sense as riding a toboggan through the city,” says Danny Montoya, a San Francisco cyclist who believes that when it comes to gears, change is good.

But why sweat the small stuff, or the non-existent brakes war? It’s supposed to be about cycling … right?

Brendt Barbur, director of the Bicycle Film Festival, says all bikes are beautiful. And as for the fixie “it” factor, he doesn’t hate on its popularity. “Kids may look to that and get excited,” Barbur says. “But I wouldn’t knock it.”

The film festival that keeps Barbur busy year-round represents all riders and promotes cycling as a mode of transportation. On its fifth year and growing, the festival made its second pit stop in San Francisco after appearances in New York and Los Angeles earlier this fall. Extra screenings were shown by popular demand even
though it was already held at much larger venues than the previous year, and there was an art show at Red Ink Studios, which attracted 1,500 heads alone.

So what’s with the massive turnout? Barbur says the film festival fills a void for cyclists. “It’s expressing a way of life they’re into,” he says. “For a while, there was nothing new going on. The film festival has been a catalyst for the urban bike culture. Music has that power, movies have that power.”

Movie goers who chose to foot it or (gasp) drive over to the Victoria Theater for the film festival weren’t denied entrance, but bikes were definitely the most popular mode of transport on 16th and Mission Streets that week.

Fixies and their owners without a doubt held court at the event, but they were locked up alongside mud-splattered mountain bikes, 30-year-old freewheels and even a few art bikes, including a bright orange replica of the Golden Gate Bridge which was still eligible for the bike lane.

Hipsters squeezed beside hippies inside the packed theater, and the dozens of short films had something for everyone, as long as you loved bikes.

But the fixed-gear boys next door became instant celebs with the showing of M.A.S.H., a 10-minute film showcasing the style of local San Francisco fixed-gear riders. Bike messengers also gained some notoriety with “MSGR-Holic,” a film documenting Kyoto Loco, the international bike messenger races held in Kyoto, Japan, proving that the popularity of the fixed-gear hasn’t been lost in translation.

For those unwilling to face the mean streets on a brakeless bike, new trends will likely emerge. Barbur says to look out for utility bikes, a heavy but reliable bike with extra strength in the front that can carry extra loads without becoming unstable. Night and day from its sleek, lightweight and sexy counterpart, it’s the ultimate commuter/work bike. It comes equipped with a chain protector, mudguard and fenders to protect clothes from oil and splatter and curved steering wheels at an anatomically correct height for comfortable riding.

Sounds almost as comfy as a Cadillac. But will all that shiny machinery out-cool the kitschy simplicity of a fixie? Only time will tell. But if the crowds do end up turning their backs on the single speed, there might be hope yet for finally fading out those horrid tight pants.

» E-mail Erin Feher @ soniab@sfsu.edu
» E-mail Sonia Beauchamp @ soniabgirl@yahoo.com

[CantDog]

Its out of control in Boston. Fuckin' hipsters with their turned up cyling hats, cards in the spokes, campy high flange hubs, and rolled up tight jeans. If possible, I try to hit a few with an open door here and there.

That being said, track bikes are gorgeous just because they arent cluttered up with derailleurs, cables, etc.

[Camilo]

Yeah, that's Portland in the last 6 years.

[marshalolson]

i liked your thread trashing hipster/fixie'ers here as well:

hipster homos

[shirk]

And I was planning to build up a fixie beater for the spring. Maybe to buck the trend I'll build a 50 pound DH commuter.

[Free Range Lobster]

This article made me laugh out loud.

[crashnburn'd]

Maybe to buck the trend I'll build a 50 pound DH commuter.

You should do it. CantDog is going to buy my current DH bike, put skinny tires on it and use it for Cyclocross. I think it's the new trend.

[Greydon Clark]

Apparently some people are bitter that the cool kids don’t like them. Anyway, last night I pissed in the gas tank of my neighbor’s Honda. He wears Dockers and polo shirts with corporate logos. What a fucker.

[Cornholio]

Nice work Greydon!

Hating is so freaking cool.

[crashnburn'd]

Nice work Greydon!

Hating is so freaking cool.

You suck, bitch.

edit - sorry, I just needed to be that guy

[Sutter]

Originally Posted by Greydon Clark
Surprisingly, I still exchange pleasantries with fellow cyclists and pedestrians.

and then from phUnk:

That's because you're a blatantly obtuse pussy.


sorry, I just had to add this, fucking brilliant, phUnk!!!

[Camel Toad]

And I was planning to build up a fixie beater for the spring. Maybe to buck the trend I'll build a 50 pound DH commuter.

screw that, just get a pugsly and ride over everything

[KarlHungus]

they wear womens pants.

[shirk]

screw that, just get a pugsly and ride over everything

I was think more of DH bike with tiny slicks and just jump everything

[sfotex]

As much as I hate the fixsters, I hate the Humvee driver's more!

[Pinhead]

I ride a fixed in winter for training, good on the snow and ice. Maybe I need to get rid of it though. What the hell is it with the spoke cards?

[sfotex]

I ride a fixed in winter for training, good on the snow and ice. Maybe I need to get rid of it though. What the hell is it with the spoke cards?

Do you ride with a trucker hat, rolled up jeans, messenger bag, and a spiked belt?

[Darkside]

If possible, I try to hit a few with an open door here and there.

I really hope you're kidding, one cyclist going after other cyclists is about as stupid as it comes. If I still lived in Boston and you tried that to pull that shit, a mini krypto upside the head would make you think twice.


Oh, and I have a '76 chrome Atala with a full Dura-Ace track group and riser bars, I guess that makes me a bad person.

[stump832]

I guess that makes me a bad person.

Either that, or it renders you incapable of detecting and processing sarcasm or hyperbole.

[CantDog]

I really hope you're kidding, one cyclist going after other cyclists is about as stupid as it comes. If I still lived in Boston and you tried that to pull that shit, a mini krypto upside the head would make you think twice.


Oh, and I have a '76 chrome Atala with a full Dura-Ace track group and riser bars, I guess that makes me a bad person.

Except you wouldnt be able to come after me with a krypto, because you'd be curled up on the side the road spitting blood after going into the door of my F250, bitch. I'd make sure to back over your bike as I drove away.

[sfotex]

Back when I was young, track bikes were for the velodrome...

[Steven S. Dallas]

Either that, or it renders you incapable of detecting and processing sarcasm or hyperbole.

How could anyone be "incapable" of that? God, you douchebags piss me off. I'm going to run over your mini-Krypto with my F350.

And Philadelphia probably has the highest fixed-gear-bike- to-dude-with-studded-belt-with-carabiner-keychain-and-a tattoo-sleeve ratio in the world.

[stump832]

How could anyone be "incapable" of that? God, you douchebags piss me off. I'm going to run over your mini-Krypto with my F350.

And Philadelphia probably has the highest fixed-gear-bike- to-dude-with-studded-belt-with-carabiner-keychain-and-a tattoo-sleeve ratio in the world.

Why don't you say that to my face? Next time I'm in Philly you're gonna get a master lock to the genitals, bitch.

[Steven S. Dallas]

If you wanna dance, tough guy, come down to Cambridge right now. I'm the one powering Camel unfiltereds and drinking potcheen and High Lifes at the Goodtimes Emporium.

[Free Range Lobster]

Real hipsters hang out at the Model.