As much as fixed-gear riding is about pure joy, it is also a rebellion against cookie-cutter life and set rules. It is about bending the rules, disobeying traffic laws, wearing no helmet, using no brakes in the streets. Fixed-gear riding might not be the safest form of traveling the streets of San Francisco, New York, or Los Angeles, but there seems to be an ever growing community that is enticed by the lifestyle that fixed-gear biking stands for. There are many reasons to be drawn to this specific community; whether you are a bike person, a design freak, a tree-hugger, hipster or social butterfly, there is something in there for everybody.
Fixed-gear biking has its roots in the hard-core messenger scene of places like New York City. They were the first to take simple track bikes as they were (meaning no brakes) to the streets as a means of dependable transportation. With only a few moving parts and lightweight structure, these bikes are less likely to break down. It is probably the simplicity of the bikes themselves and the way they are operated that soon made them attractive to an even bigger biking community. In fixed-gear biking, 100% of the energy that you put into pedaling actually translates into movement. Slowing down is a pure matter of control of the forces. What feels awkward at first becomes an addiction soon enough.
The majority of the bikes that you see in the street are custom built from scratch by their owners. Most of the parts are used, although reassembled. Fixed-gear biking is all about being creative and hands-on. It is about rediscovering your adolescence. If you were into BMX bikes as teenager, there is a great chance you will love fixed-gear bikes now. The bold and bright colors that were cool back then are inevitably the choice of today. White, CMYK, rich anodized colors and even sparkle are popular picks – there is a visibly strong influence of Japanese street culture.
Messenger culture and attire has inspired a new look beyond the bikes: three quarter length pants, skinny jeans, messenger bags, and vivid outerwear that comes in the same playful colors that you see on the bikes.
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