Fixies Origin
Thread started by
Destro1er at 05.4.10 - 11:38 am
Anyone know which city created the trend?
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The underground scene was poppin' around England starting in '76
but the first "commercially viable" fixie didn't come out until '85 in Coventry England,
trickmilla05.4.10 - 12:04 pm
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great info! Man, you guys sure are knowledgeable! Thanks
Destro1er05.4.10 - 12:32 pm
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this is a pretty good article on the origins of the latest fixed craze
NY Times - Unstoppable
for those that dont want to follow the link- jamaican and west indian messengers in New York stripped down their bikes to make them less appealing to bike theives... oh how times have changed.
newarkhouse05.4.10 - 12:37 pm
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NYC
1 day before BikeSnobNYC started making fun of them
Foldie05.4.10 - 12:40 pm
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Kevin Bacon (actor) and Nelson Vails (the real magilla) brought it to your mainstream azzes in 1986.
jetfuel05.4.10 - 1:03 pm
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in the documentary Pedal this guy says something like that ... I laughed ..
OsnapsonJC responding to a
comment by newarkhouse
05.4.10 - 1:23 pm
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The question was in regard to 'trend', which I'm assuming is best defined as,
"Hey, look at me! I ride a fixed gear bike! ...just like a bike messenger!!"
versus
"This revolutionary design will likely change the way standard bicycles will look forever."
and
"You're only cool if you ride a fixed gear bicycle!"
versus
"Multi-speed free-wheeling designs are not yet available."
Maybe someday, if you really wanna be OG, the 'trend' will be a pony bike:
After all, it's 'fixed' too.
meh
jetfuel05.4.10 - 1:57 pm
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you forgot the "18" on the front of those dates. careful - you could unintentionally misinform people.
shotgunBOOMBOOM responding to a
comment by trickmilla
05.4.10 - 2:10 pm
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oh god bike snob is turning into the new sheldon brown. and I'm not saying that like it's a good thing.
shotgunBOOMBOOM responding to a
comment by Foldie
05.4.10 - 2:11 pm
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Snob's Nutz > my chin
Enuff said? Bikesnob rules......
Foldie responding to a
comment by shotgunBOOMBOOM
05.4.10 - 2:26 pm
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My 2 favorite old man hearts fixie articles are:
Sheldon Brown's: Fixed Gear Bicycles for the Road
and
Richard Risemberg's: Alpha and Omega: a Fixed-Gear Primer
I think its more accurate to say the "resurgence in popularity" of fixed gear bikes as they have been appreciated and enjoyed for over almost 140 years.
In the 70s they called skateboarding a fad, they also did in the 80s, 90s and 2000sies
But by now, we can agree that while skateboarding's popularity ebs and flows in the culture it is always happening to some degree.
We'll see the same things with the fixie. One day it will be so overblown and mass-marketed, that the people who rode one to be different won't think its cool any more, and it will be owned by the popular culture, it will be as normal as riding a skateboard, or a scooter.
trickmilla responding to a
comment by jetfuel
05.4.10 - 5:29 pm
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"We'll see the same things with the fixie. One day it will be so overblown and mass-marketed, that the people who rode one to be different won't think its cool any more, and it will be owned by the popular culture, it will be as normal as riding a skateboard, or a scooter."
That largely describes it for me currently. It's long past becoming as normal as riding a skateboard.
...though I never rode one to be cool. I rode fixed in the off-season to round out my stroke and work on leg speed. It had brakes. It was definitely not un-cool though.
...and I still think it's cool. It's just that it's soul is being robbed by people who only ride to be cool versus those who actually love cycling and appreciate the velodrome.
...and I'm not saying the current 'trend' is uncool either. I fucking love many parts of the 'new' fixie culture. It's rekindled a lot of love for the bicycle for me.
Not being antagonistic - just sharing a view that might be considered typical of, say, a fellah who's ridden across the country and raced USCF through the tail end of the '80's.
jetfuel05.6.10 - 7:20 am
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Snob's Nutz > my chin
Enuff said? Bikesnob rules......
Foldie
POINT PROVEN.
shotgunBOOMBOOM05.6.10 - 8:58 am
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I think the fixed wheel thing started with.............the bicycle invention.
Limeyfly responding to a
comment by jetfuel
05.6.10 - 11:57 am
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It's difficult to write something here without being misunderstood. No voice intonation etc.
Don't worry about it
Just read any Borfo posts.............
I like fixed wheel on occasion but I'm far from hip.
Limeyfly responding to a
comment by jetfuel
05.6.10 - 11:59 am
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I heard this jetfuel dude has been winning bare knuckle fixie smackdowns since before time started. I can understand his dismay with the current co-option by vacuous hipsters of such a noble sport.
toweliesbong responding to a
comment by jetfuel
05.6.10 - 12:12 pm
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Thanks.
Again, not trying to be a prick - just participating in the brainstorm.
I suppose in person, someone might give me a teabag. Then I'd show them my butt and we'd drink some road sodas together.
When it comes down to it, we all just want bottle cages that hold fauties.
jetfuel responding to a
comment by toweliesbong
05.6.10 - 12:23 pm
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I think we're seeing it now, the typical bike on the street these days, being ridden by hipsters and high-schoolers, are "fixies". More utility driven people, like commuters will keep their mountain bikes and touring bikes. And for most people, especially in beach communities, will keep their cruisers. Sport driven folks will always have the appropriate bikes for whatever they're doing. While most bike lovers will have a bit of everything.
I own a nice 10-speed, a 3-speed, a fixie conversion (my hipster bike) and a couple freak bikes. A beater bike and my cruiser were stolen, so I don't have those any more.
As for the original poster's question, I'd say it depends on which city you're in. Being that Walmart and Urban Outfitters are now selling hipster bikes, I'd say the current trend started a couple years ago, and picked up momentum last summer.
the reverend dak responding to a
comment by trickmilla
05.6.10 - 12:28 pm
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When is the fad of people getting all worked up over other people's drivetrains going to end? That shit is getting tiresome.
PC responding to a
comment by the reverend dak
05.6.10 - 12:36 pm
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..not a direct response to Dak.
I was about to say that the "quote" "function" on this site sucks a dick, and then I remembered that to suck a dick is to provide a service, which is more than one can say for the attribution feature.
PC05.6.10 - 12:39 pm
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I think the original poster is genuinely curious of when the "fad" started. I think less and less people are actually getting "all worked up". In-fact this thread has been mostly educational. Trickmilla shared some good history. And I think he's just saying that this fad will likely fade into the typical. Remember when Alternative Rock was actually the alternative? There was a time when Rock was the alternative.
anywho. no harm done.
the reverend dak responding to a
comment by PC
05.6.10 - 12:45 pm
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Fact is Racers have been riding fixed worldwide as winter training for ages.
But as far as civilian usage I would give New York credit.
as I remember New York transplants coming here over 20 years ago
with there fixed gear bikes sniviling about the hills.
Dedicated81805.6.10 - 5:00 pm
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All the over-30s who responded are right. Just read those two articles posted by trickmilla for a quick primer on fixed-gear bikes.
If you're asking when being a TRACK BIKE FASHIONISTA started becoming mainstream, about mid 2006 sounds right. Before then people didn't judge you by your dropouts and SICK TIEEEEGHT GEO and whether you had toe overlap or whether your bike could make a right turn (true track bikes can't) and people liked tires because they were light and supple and rode well instead of choosing them for their SKIDability.
If you're asking when TARCK BIKES / 700CMX / FIXED-GEAR FREESTYLE became mainstream, maybe about late 2007. Before then big fat stems and 5-pound straight forks and SPINZZZZZABLE were something you associated with flatland bikes and only short chicks rode bikes with a smaller front wheel.
cabhauler05.6.10 - 5:34 pm
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