[blue]

What with their fashion accessory status, I can understand people trying to pawn off crap on hipster morons for steep prices, but this...

http://saltlakecity.craigslist.org/bik/401775922.html

HUH?! This isn't the first of these I've seen, either. People asking obscene amounts of money for fixies built out of the thrift store and bike shop crap parts bin...I need to get in on this. $50 worth of junk, put it together in an evening, list it on CL the next day for $650...

 

[Rip]

What's sad is that some moron will buy it.

 

[loco-gringo]

There's a thread on a VW forum somewhere talking about the stupid sh*t people will buy from them too.

 

[PatBranch]

hahaha

 

[jimmydean]

The hardest part about riding a fixie?


Telling your parents you're ghey.

 

[Thrillkil]

I actually make a nice supplemental income buying old crappy 10speeds from homeless people then chopping them into fixies, and selling for a 300% return on investment.

650 is silly, I'd maybe pay that for a full keirin bike

 

[1453]

What's sad is that some moron will buy it.

a really tall moron from the looks of it.

 

[douglas]

The hardest part about riding a fixie?


Telling your parents you're gay.

yes, the fixie = the gayness

 

[Wumpus]

Damn, I paid $650 for my fixie, and it didn't even have wheels.

 

[jimmydean]

Damn, I paid $650 for my fixie, and it didn't even have wheels.

How can it be a fixie without wheels? Isn't it the rear wheel that makes it a fixie?

Or did I not see the sarcasm in that remark?

 

[OGRipper]

With every fad comes opportunists.

But those of you who think riding a fixie = gay have some issues to work out. Not everyone on a fixie started riding them yesterday or because they are fashionable. Homophobic generalizations are stupid to begin with but extending them to bikes is something I wouldn't expect on RM.

(Yeah, I ride a fixie. In SAN FRANCISCO! Hide your poop chutes!)

lthumbsdown:

 

[splat]

Its funny because the obscene prices that these Fixes go for , has actually made me think about selling mine. I don't ride it that much any more, and hey I could always Make another one.

 

[Wumpus]

How can it be a fixie without wheels? Isn't it the rear wheel that makes it a fixie?

Or did I not see the sarcasm in that remark?

Rear dropout spacing, lack of any brake mounts, horizontal dropouts...

 

[loco-gringo]

<snip>

(Yeah, I ride a fixie. In SAN FRANCISCO! Hide your poop chutes!)

lthumbsdown:

HOMO!!!!

Seriously - I agree with you. We're not calling blue a fag and he drives a Jetta.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

HOMO!!!!

Seriously - I agree with you. We're not calling blue a fag and he drives a Jetta.

Now, if it was a Cabrio.....

 

[jimmydean]

With every fad comes opportunists.

But those of you who think riding a fixie = gay have some issues to work out.

I don't really think it's gay, I just think it's funny. Manpris don't look good on ANYONE.

Working in downtown Portland, you see A LOT of fixies. I fail to see the point, when a single speed would serve the same purpose, but whatever. The issue is most of the people who ride them here (including my sons friend) ride them purely for the fad of it.

I think they are unnecessarily dangerous when ridden by a sucker with no brakes (see comment about the ruling majority here). I also think it's funny that with the fad comes added un-safety (<-new word) because not only do you run brakeless, but helmetless too in order to be "accepted".

Why do you have to show stupidity to be cool?

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I don't really think it's gay, I just think it's funny. Manpris don't look good on ANYONE.

Working in downtown Portland, you see A LOT of fixies. I fail to see the point, when a single speed would serve the same purpose, but whatever. The issue is most of the people who ride them here (including my sons friend) ride them purely for the fad of it.

I think they are unnecessarily dangerous when ridden by a sucker with no brakes (see comment about the ruling majority here). I also think it's funny that with the fad comes added un-safety (<-new word) because not only do you run brakeless, but helmetless too in order to be "accepted".

Why do you have to show stupidity to be cool?

Because that's the definition of cool. duh.

 

[JRogers]

I don't really think it's gay, I just think it's funny. Manpris don't look good on ANYONE.

Working in downtown Portland, you see A LOT of fixies. I fail to see the point, when a single speed would serve the same purpose, but whatever. The issue is most of the people who ride them here (including my sons friend) ride them purely for the fad of it.

I think they are unnecessarily dangerous when ridden by a sucker with no brakes (see comment about the ruling majority here). I also think it's funny that with the fad comes added un-safety (<-new word) because not only do you run brakeless, but helmetless too in order to be "accepted".

Why do you have to show stupidity to be cool?

That's my issue with it. For many people out there, it's just about looking cool (which is not a bad thing in and of itself, necessarily...though this comes at the price of safety and, let's be honest, practicality). I don't think I'd get one now simply because there are a few too many toolbags out there with them.

 

[jimmydean]

Because that's the definition of cool. duh.

Oops, my bad. Guess that's why I'm not cool.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Oops, my bad. Guess that's why I'm not cool.

Bingo.

 

[jimmydean]

That's my issue with it. For many people out there, it's just about looking cool (which is not a bad thing in and of itself, necessarily...though this comes at the price of safety and, let's be honest, practicality). I don't think I'd get one now simply because there are a few too many toolbags out there with them.

I guess I will never see the point. I can understand the single speed "ease of use" thing, but is a freewheel THAT much more expensive? I know brakes are a whopping $20 and weight like 200 grams and all, but are they THAT hard to maintain? (against the argument that fixies are low maintenance)

I'll shut up. I'm not hip and obviously don't "get it".

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I guess I will never see the point. I can understand the single speed "ease of use" thing, but is a freewheel THAT much more expensive? I know brakes are a whopping $20 and weight like 200 grams and all, but are they THAT hard to maintain? (against the argument that fixies are low maintenance)

I'll shut up. I'm not hip and obviously don't "get it".

Dude...you're not hip and obviously don't get it....


oh....wait....

 

[Wumpus]

I actually got mine to try the track thing, but unfortunately the track is 100 miles* away and they do racing on Friday nights.





*That wouldn't be bad, but I have to go thru the cluster**** that is called Dallas during rushhour.

 

[OGRipper]

Fair enough ya'll. There doesn't have to be a "point" to me. Fixies are nothing more or less than one more interesting approach to getting around on two wheels. It's a different, challenging experience, not to mention a great workout, especially in a town with short steep hills like SF. The simplicity is great and it's also a pretty cool way to understand how hardcore the original pro guys were back before a freewheel or gears were an option.

Try it and see for yourself, or don't, your call. Personally I hope I never shy away from a kind of riding because of how someone else looks doing it. If I did that, I wouldn't have much to ride. There are lots of wankers out there on every kind of bike, in every discipline.

PS, I'm not fashionable - I run a front brake AND a helmet.

 

[Slugman]

Riding a fixie without brakes will make your legs stronger... that is why I got mine 8 years ago.

Doing anything for fashion or to fit in is teh ghey.

But teh gheyest is sitting around judging others just to make yourselves feel superior.

 

[Total Heckler]

Now, if it was a Cabrio.....

AKA Bitch Basket.

I know a bunch a hipsters ride the fixies now. Its honestly near impossible to see a guy riding one without him wearing girl pants, no helmet, and having tragic hair.

OG, I fully agree with you on that. Plenty of tools ride all disciplines of bikes. Doesn't mean you have to be one. I started riding cross a couple years ago and I ride without all of the spandex and whatnot. I normally have my helmet, gloves, shorts, and a t shirt. I stick out like a sore thumb on group rides. Doesn't stop me from keeping up with the group.

 

[Thrillkil]

I find them pretty fun; it's a refreshing change of pace to go from riding something really complicated i.e. a downhill bike, to something so nice and simple, with a minimum of bike under you.

 

[jimmydean]

Riding a fixie without brakes will make your legs stronger... that is why I got mine 8 years ago.

I just don't understand the need to run brakeless. There is no law that says you have to use it, but there is a law saying you have to have at least one (or so it is in Portland). I see at as an emergency brake, but again, I'm not cool either.

There was a huge uproar over that here with a particular messenger that refused to put a brake on her fixie to be in compliance of the law saying her legs were brake enough. She was a jackass.

 

[blue]

I just don't understand the need to run brakeless. There is no law that says you have to use it, but there is a law saying you have to have at least one (or so it is in Portland). I see at as an emergency brake, but again, I'm not cool either.

There was a huge uproar over that here with a particular messenger that refused to put a brake on her fixie to be in compliance of the law saying her legs were brake enough. She was a jackass.

A fixie without brakes does not have adequate stopping power in an emergency situation. I know from personal experience and from watching a veteran messenger sideswipe a ped because he couldn't control his stop.

 

[jimmydean]

A fixie without brakes does not have adequate stopping power in an emergency situation. I know from personal experience and from watching a veteran messenger sideswipe a ped because he couldn't control his stop.

But I bet he looked cool as hell doing it, right?

Sorry, I promise I will shut up on this topic now.

<edit> Article

 

[SkaredShtles]

Fair enough ya'll. There doesn't have to be a "point" to me. Fixies are nothing more or less than one more interesting approach to getting around on two wheels. It's a different, challenging experience, not to mention a great workout, especially in a town with short steep hills like SF. The simplicity is great and it's also a pretty cool way to understand how hardcore the original pro guys were back before a freewheel or gears were an option.

Dude - you were cool before cool was cool. Which is cool.

 

[Total Heckler]

But I bet he looked cool as hell doing it, right?

Sorry, I promise I will shut up on this topic now.

<edit> Article

You can tell he must have looked cool doing it. Hes wearing a sleeveless shirt in court. Pay the fine and get a freaking front brake you girl.

 

[Slugman]

I just don't understand the need to run brakeless. There is no law that says you have to use it, but there is a law saying you have to have at least one (or so it is in Portland). I see at as an emergency brake, but again, I'm not cool either.

Sorry - the way I wrote that was misleading.

What I should have said is riding a fixing without USING brakes makes your legs stronger.

I have a brake on mine and it has saved my life at least twice!!!

 

[jimmydean]

You can tell he must have looked cool doing it. Hes wearing a sleeveless shirt in court. Pay the fine and get a freaking front brake you girl.

HAHAHA, that IS a chick. Gotta love Portland messenger chicks :barf:

 

[SkaredShtles]

Can you pick out the fixie rider(s) in this picture:

 

[I Are Baboon]

Can you pick out the fixie rider(s) in this picture:

 

[Bearmntpicnic]

Neither of those people.

I ride beakless and worked for the summer as a professional courier. My pants are tight, and I don&#8217;t always ride with a helmet.

You ride beakless because it makes you a better rider. You understand traffic patterns and what you can and cant do. You think about what you are going to do before you do it and you know your limits.

I&#8217;m sure you all as bike riders understand the connection between rider and bike. When you ride bikes like these it become a part of you.

On a side note, I know a guy in SF who rides beakless freewheel which is a little nuts.

 

[Westy]

Neither of those people.

I ride beakless and worked for the summer as a professional courier. My pants are tight, and I don’t always ride with a helmet.

You ride beakless because it makes you a better rider. You understand traffic patterns and what you can and cant do. You think about what you are going to do before you do it and you know your limits.

I’m sure you all as bike riders understand the connection between rider and bike. When you ride bikes like these it become a part of you.

On a side note, I know a guy in SF who rides beakless freewheel which is a little nuts.

Pfft. I've never ridden a bike with beaks, even DH.

 

[OGRipper]

On a side note, I know a guy in SF who rides beakless freewheel which is a little nuts.

I think it's really funny that you can first say all those other things and then say this. The difference might seem big but it's only a matter of degree.

I agree with some of the things you're saying, and you're entitled to ride whatever you want, but don't try to justify it by claiming it's a matter of skill. Knowing your limits and traffic patterns is all well and good but the time will come when due to someone else's asshattery, nothing but stopping on a dime will save your ass. There will be no go-around option, and no matter how good you are you won't be able to stop fast enough without a front brake. Really. You won't.

In the city I'd rather ride a freewheel'd bike with a front brake than a fixie with no brakes.

 

[jimmydean]

I think it's really funny that you can first say all those other things and then say this. The difference might seem big but it's only a matter of degree.

I agree with some of the things you're saying, and you're entitled to ride whatever you want, but don't try to justify it by claiming it's a matter of skill. Knowing your limits and traffic patterns is all well and good but the time will come when due to someone else's asshattery, nothing but stopping on a dime will save your ass. There will be no go-around option, and no matter how good you are you won't be able to stop fast enough without a front brake. Really. You won't.

In the city I'd rather ride a freewheel'd bike with a front brake than a fixie with no brakes.

Well played, sir.