Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - messenger?

This may sound very stupid... But what is messenger? I read all these threads about messengers and how some are poser's, some are too cool, wantabeees,some are pissed off at the world...etc. I don't get it. Sounds alot like a newspaper delievery boy. We must not have many messengers (if any) in Huntington Beach,Ca.

A messenger (as used in this forum) is someone who makes their money by riding a bike around delivering letters, packages, court filings, etc. (tags). Big mystique around them. Many in big cities ride track bikes or road fixies and delight, astound, annoy and confound people in cars and pedestrians by doing fun tricks and zipping around traffic with what appears to be (and sometimes is) a complete disregard for the safety of themselves or others.

Posengers (posers, wannabees, etc.) are people who ride fixies and trucker hats and wear messenger bags and hang out at messenger bars and etc. Some messengers have problems with them. Some don't. Some people like to cut on others to make themselves feel better. Some don't. Sometimes these people just dress this way and ride these bikes because they are fun and efficient and make sense in cities.

I am a messenger, but I'm very uncool most of the time. I ride a rockin' fixie for most of my runs, but I'm also a cargo biker some of the time. That means I also ride a 40# cargo bike sometimes with three chainrings, 8 cogs, and a capacity for rider plus 300 # in the low-slung front basket. When things get really big, I sometimes ride the 100#+ cargo trike with 63 speeds and a 900 # capacity...not fun fully loaded.

I doubt huntington beach has any messengers...Southern CA has a year round open season on bicyclists, and those trying to make a living on their bikes give you 5 bonus points per kill. Take a trip to a region of the country that's less obsessed with car culture and hang out downtown during the day. Watch the beautiful people on beautiful bikes doing beautiful tricks. It's fun.

_________________
ride more, whine less

:D

Well, you may be trolling if at your age you've never encountered a bike messenger in media, ads or cycling spheres, presuming you've always lived in Huntington Beach. They are with a few exception in cities only where they are most useful. Usually some of the first to try something new or different on the road lots of people emulate their style/gear because besides llooking good it very often works better than what was before at it's intended purpose. As an industry the workers number around 12,000 in North America and deliver millions of packages a month, tens of millions a year accounting for hundreds of millions in trade capital and alleiviating traffic congestion significantly in cities where they are present.

But really, you didn't know what that was? I could believe not knowing much about them...

:D



But really, you didn't know what that was? I could believe not knowing much about them...

It's like kids these days not know what LPs or 45s are... messengers are a dying breed. ;)

But frankly, the paperboy reference has troll written all over it... and since the original poster works for the fire dept., lets hope he owns a flame retardant suit ;)

It's like kids these days not know what LPs or 45s are... messengers are a dying breed. ;)

But frankly, the paperboy reference has troll written all over it... and since the original poster works for the fire dept., lets hope he owns a flame retardant suit ;)

Thank you "r-dub" that explained perfectly. And your right none exist here, too many vechicles. As for the other two guys. I didn't mean to piss you off. But I expected at least someone to reply pissed.Seeems you can't ask simple question around here without someone feeling insulted. BTW I work for LAcoFD didn't say I was a fireman.There's more to it than jumping in your little red truck and going to fires/accidents. That equiptment doesn't maintain itself Diesel engines, complicated hydralic systems, life saving apparatus...etc.

You got two helpful, if not somewhat skeptical responses and one good-naturedly skeptical response. Not even one mention of pie. Let it go, Touchy McToucherson.

m.

:lol:

It's the Internets, don't take it too seriously.

Hey don't make fun of paper boys! "I WANT MY 2 DOLLARS!"

Messengers work in cities where cars can't move nearly as fast as bikes, and there's no place to park anyway, so if they had messengers in cars, it would take them much much longer than on a bike. So, messengers use bikes, although there are messengers who use scooters, and some who use cars too, just slower.

There's no need for bicycle messengers in HB, it's a big flat grid. The only part that begins to get congested is downtown by the pier, and you can walk that.

I remember one 4th of july or something, the HB cops took a LOT of bikes away from people who were at mile square park.

When things get really big, I sometimes ride the 100#+ cargo trike with 63 speeds and a 900 # capacity...not fun fully loaded.


_________________
ride more, whine less

hold on a secon...63 speeds?! what is that like?!

No messengers in beachtown, USA.... never seen one...:p

hold on a secon...63 speeds?! what is that like?!

triple in front, and one of those nifty SRAM-type 3x7 internal/external hubs in the back. i would imagine the the low gear to be VERY, VERY, VERY low. and the high gear to be VERY, VERY, VERY, high, with lots of fun mid-range gears in between.

I remember one 4th of july or something, the HB cops took a LOT of bikes away from people who were at mile square park.

why was that? I've had a run in or two w/ HB po-lice (not while on a bike). they can be real pricks. Then again, you can't really blame em - there can be a lot of dumbasses in HB, usually around Main & the pier

triple in front, and one of those nifty SRAM-type 3x7 internal/external hubs in the back. i would imagine the the low gear to be VERY, VERY, VERY low. and the high gear to be VERY, VERY, VERY, high, with lots of fun mid-range gears in between.


It's a recumbant trike, with all drive in the front, and load and braking (hydraulic) in the back. Poor design, if you ask me...with a super heavy load there's precious little traction on the single drive wheel. Setup is: 7 speed casette (12-30, I think) operated by right hand (down by my thigh) grip shift, SRAM internal (planetary) 3 speed hub (.7, 1, 1.3 I think...but that could be off by a few) operated by left hand grip shift, 24,34,46 chainrings operated by 'traditional thumb shifter', that is, I reach down and grab the chain with my thumb and move it to a different chainring ;-) This results in a rediculous range of gearing (low is something like 5 inches) but actually is far too much low-end torque for the hub...hasn't blown up yet, but I'll probably strip the low-end planetary gears out on the next heavy uphill use.

Braking...that's another issue entirely...don't get me started. (*hint* super-fragile non-redundant hydraulic system...I can't wait to spring a leak in that line while going downhill with 700 pounds behind me)

"I WANT MY 2 DOLLARS!"

I LOVE that movie!

check out this little photo story i did on seattle's bike messengers.


AmericanPhotojournalist picture story "Pedal Diary" (http://www.americanphotojournalist.com/story.php?storyid=62)

why was that? I've had a run in or two w/ HB po-lice (not while on a bike). they can be real pricks. Then again, you can't really blame em - there can be a lot of dumbasses in HB, usually around Main & the pier

Any bicycle with out a current calif. bike lic. was open game for the police. This was there attempt to control the crowds that poured in every 4th of july. Evenuatlly it came to Marshall law by 1998. Anyone seen on streets down town was subject to arrest (if you did not live there). Even if you where just walking minding your own business.