RIP Fixed gear bikes (1887 – 2009ish) maybe

Too much snobbery in sport in the UK strangles nascent talent by alienating newcomers. I wonder how many potential riders are put off going out with a club because they'll come across the attitude displayed by some of the posters above.

I rode fixed in the 80's and still do today, although not exclusively. (check out the 'fixie rides' posted to the what's on pages) I find it a great way to build strength due to the relentless imperative to keep turning the legs whether uphill or down dale - and there are plenty of both in Yorkshire! If you get the gear roughly right, you'll manage to balance the effort of going up against the pain of going down - around 73 inches (42x15) is about right for me.

As the Bikeboy points out one man's fashion is another man's faux pas. Personally, I can't see the attraction of over-priced carbon fibre but plenty of others do and good luck to 'em.

What is the problem with fashion?

I like fashion, I like that people attempt to present an image of their inner self to the outside world via clothing, music etc.

To feel pity toward a fashion culture is a pretty arrogant standpoint.

I love track bikes, I ride my track bike at the track, and my winter bike is fixed and has been my choice for years. I don't feel betrayed or pitious because now they are popular, I continue to ride them for the reasons I always have, and will carry on long after the messenger culture has vanished I expect.

It's good to see nice old track iron on the streets, and good that it is avoiding the skip for just a bit longer.

"Theres no rules I'm afraid."

I shall concede that you are right in this instance, this is an ethos many of these riders have whole-heartedly taken on board for both style, and road, sense

I agree with Pete, who cares what people look like or what type of bike they are riding just so long as they are riding a bike and not doing any harm.

I might think some people look stupid with the things they wear, but so what? I'm sure there are mis-guided souls out there who think I look dumb fully Lycra'd up - I on the other hand am secure in the knowledge that I look like Arnold Donis esq's better looking brother when sporting full Pearl Izumi bibs and jersey.

Were anyone to question my mental picture of myself I would nod tolerantly at the poor deluded fool and move on… by bike, and I'm sure the same applies for floppy fringed fixed riders too.

But it's not "negativity towards a cycling culture or group from within another cycling group", it's "negativity" and pity towards a fashion culture.

Cycling is a wonderful thing, there's no need to Try So Hard or become your own self-parody to enjoy it.

It's not much of a problem, is it? suddenly it's achingly fashionable to ride fixed, and every Silas-jeans-wearing, asymetric-hairstyle-sporting graphic designer inside the M25 is off to the Plug store. So what? it's more people on bikes. They might be a bit annoying, but let's face it: these people were annoying anyway, and next year you'll be able to take your pic from 2,374 barely used Charge Plugs on ebay for peanuts. and the fact that the beautiful people are riding bikes will surely inspire some of the wannabes to get on bikes too, and they might even keep them if they go out of fashion.

It's not hate, it's pity.

Less hating please:

Fashion is their only culture… your practically quoting the Specials at us now. Not that I'm complaining

Long live fixed as a popular and enjoyable niche. Good riddance to the hipster, messenger wannabes and anyone else for whom fashion is their only culture.

"How wide do you reckon they are?"

whatever the fashionable width is this week?

just to add my piece...not all fixie riders are like this I agree but there are a few in bristol who look like they have fallen through topshop and grabbed everything on the way before hitting a freak gust of wind that has blown half of thair hair over one eye. Then they proceed to ride brightly coloured fixed gear bikes up and down park street (which I imagine cant be too easy) Then one of them on a cinelli with 5 spoke white front wheel celebrates by accelerating and tail whipping his back wheel into parked car doors.
I couldnt believe I was seeing it.

These are my cut down riser bars. I had to cut them down so I could get through traffic. How wide do you reckon they are?

Not wanting to look uncool or unfashionable clearly shows that you can be bothered, which means other people probably will be bothered, mostly by the fact that you might be "trying too hard", the same goes for any trendy fashion.

I think there will always be people riding fixed in the capital because it works well.
I'm not really surprised that there were no people in skinny jeans racing on the velodrome. Like I don't expect to see people dressed in lycra at the pub.

Heh heh, I have seen that spoof video before and thought it was quite funny - on youtube the thread goes on forever with people believing it to be real whilst getting all hot and bothered about the fact that Edison wasn't the first to invent the light bulb but the first to register it. What I found amusing about the comments is that it highlighted that people are missing the point about it all. Yes fixed gear bikes are 'trendy' but what's wrong with being trendy? I don't want to look uncool or unfashionable, it is actually quite a lot of fun changing stuff on your bike like it is nice to have a good hair cut or a new pair of trainers. If it makes you feel better about yourself do it. If you aren't bothered in following the latest fashion then people probably aren't bothered about what you do either. A fixed gear bike has an architectural elegance with uncluttered clean lines, this simplicity although very beautiful doesn't mean that you can live with it.

It's not pure, it is raw and simple. I couldn't think of anything worse when I lived in the country amongst hills! I love riding fixed in London but I can't think of many other places that I could live with such a bike. It goes by the old adage 'horses for courses'.

conversely the first of the local Summer Wednesday Evening Track League races was full to bursting last week, whether this was down to the general upsurge in cycling, the Olympic effect, overflow from the fixie phenomenon or the local racing scene getting bigger and stronger i don't know.

but i do know none of the bikes there had cut-down riser-bars, and no-one was racing in jeans a size too small.

I think that overly blue Cannondale is but one proof that "fixies" have finally and thankfully jumped the shark

The trick the bike fashion blokey misses is that track geometry belongs on the track, road geometry works best on the road, as does plenty of standover height on a commuting bike.

Retro courier style bikes, yeah maybe, if you live in the centre of a big, flat city, anywhere else or for anyone who wants to get anywhere in a hurry they are a waste of time.

If people want to ride fixed more power to 'em I just don't want to be told that it's a 'purer' experience etc etc, it ain't, it's a different experience just like driving my car and using the reverse gear to stop it would be different too ;-).

ah, that'll be why London is full of 4x4s

Country folk shouldn't meddle with fashion like city folk should steer clear of farming.