Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - I'm so ashamed

I was riding out in East Flatbush today, feeling a little out of place, when I spotted another mangy-looking white guy with a garishly hip messenger bag and a fixie. I nodded in recognition, and he nodded back.

As we passed, however, I noticed a singleator tacked on to his seatstay and realized in horror that this man was riding not a fixie but a singlespeed! I was mortified.

I pulled a quick u-turn and caught up to the dude to explain to him my mistake. I informed him that my friendliness had been in error; I wished to retract my nod. He was disappointed, but of course he understood. Even singlespeeders, after all, realize their order in the hierarchy. I was a little offended that he didn't apologize for trying to pass as my equal, but I decided to be the bigger man and let it slide.

So you see, it's a totally unfair stereotype that all fixed-gear riders are arrogant and pretensious.

I'm still really embarrased about my faux-pas, but I pass on this message so that we all remember to be extra cautious to CHECK THAT CHAINLINE before extending any type of cordiality to our fellow riders.

Ride safe and ride proud.

Haha.
Nice.

:D I've been in a similar situation, giving a gentle nod and a smile just to find out a second later that the dude was on a singlespeed - doh! That retracting-the-nod-thing you did was kind of funny, something George Constanza would have done.

So I was pretty high on concrete sealer fumes today and as I walked by a bike on the street I looked down and thought "Oh, it's only got one chain ... must be a fixed gear."

oh, boots. You so crazzay!

i've seen a few messengers on single speeds intentionally not coasting, or should i say, mocking the cadence of a fixed gear... silly.

Hari kari is mandatory. You have disgraced the bfssfg family.

Sometimes I'll throw a wrench in the system and pretend I'm coasting so I can blend in with the commoners.

But wangster, we are both one of the mass of .... you know.... :P

For a few days, I've walked past this nice road frame with bull horns, it had the chain layout for a FGSS, aero rims and no brake calipers. what struck my attention were the strapless platform pedals! This guy has brass ones I though. Then I saw the coaster brake rear hub.....honest truth

Please accept my wish of a happy new year mr wangster. hope you get the $ and the pretty white chicks.

I can't hide anymore . . . I like to coast!
There, bitter and ugly as it is, I feel clean now.

That was a good one!

If I ride fixed and my wife rides singlespeed, is my position in the hierarchy affected?
Just need to know if I should start looking for a divorce lawyer.

I nod to every rider going the opposite way, fixie or not...

DW

me too, but they don't always nod back!!!

I get that "wha?" look from roadies sometimes. I bet they're thinking, "oh look, another of those kids in their cotton clothing, pushing those one-gear bikes around in prehistoric basketball shoes."


Fixed must seem pretty silly to those who don't worship the messenger / track bike altar.

Fixed must seem pretty silly to those who don't worship the messenger / track bike altar.
Nope, it seems pretty effin hard to ride a bike that you brake w/ your legs and has no cheater gears for going up hills and can't coast down hills on.

"I pulled a quick u-turn and caught up to the dude to explain to him my mistake. I informed him that my friendliness had been in error; I wished to retract my nod. He was disappointed, but of course he understood. Even singlespeeders, after all, realize their order in the hierarchy. I was a little offended that he didn't apologize for trying to pass as my equal, but I decided to be the bigger man and let it slide."



i hope thats a joke
if its not thats a real jerk thing to do

i've seen a few messengers on single speeds intentionally not coasting, or should i say, mocking the cadence of a fixed gear... silly.

:roflmao:


I was riding out in East Flatbush today, feeling a little out of place, when I spotted another mangy-looking white guy with a garishly hip messenger bag and a fixie. I nodded in recognition, and he nodded back.

As we passed, however, I noticed a singleator tacked on to his seatstay and realized in horror that this man was riding not a fixie but a singlespeed! I was mortified.

I pulled a quick u-turn and caught up to the dude to explain to him my mistake. I informed him that my friendliness had been in error; I wished to retract my nod. He was disappointed, but of course he understood. Even singlespeeders, after all, realize their order in the hierarchy. I was a little offended that he didn't apologize for trying to pass as my equal, but I decided to be the bigger man and let it slide.

So you see, it's a totally unfair stereotype that all fixed-gear riders are arrogant and pretensious.

I'm still really embarrased about my faux-pas, but I pass on this message so that we all remember to be extra cautious to CHECK THAT CHAINLINE before extending any type of cordiality to our fellow riders.

Ride safe and ride proud.

:roflmao:

felipe rides SS.

felipe rides SS.

Yeah but he can do 12 backwards circles on that thing. So it almost makes up for it. Almost.

"I pulled a quick u-turn and caught up to the dude to explain to him my mistake. I informed him that my friendliness had been in error; I wished to retract my nod. He was disappointed, but of course he understood. Even singlespeeders, after all, realize their order in the hierarchy. I was a little offended that he didn't apologize for trying to pass as my equal, but I decided to be the bigger man and let it slide."



i hope thats a joke
if its not thats a real jerk thing to do

What could possibly cause you to think that was a joke?

you are an elitist prick, not surprising in ss/fg

i too nod at almost every cyclist i ride by and i've noticed an interesting phenomenon. many of them nod back, but almost all of the ones who DON'T nod back are on fixed gear. buncha jerks

shared a "hey!" with a roadie as i passed him in the park today...he "hey'd" back to me...

i say hi or nod etc etc to most people... i say "have a nice weekend" to people i pass riding home on fridays too... Theres some couriers in this city who are way to cool to nod or say hi to me, let alone talk to me even when im a courier too and we are both in the same building, let alone the same ****ing elevator where its more uncomfortable NOT to say something.

always greet your brethren.

you are an elitist prick, not surprising in ss/fg

I think some folks have, once again, forgotten to take their Understanding Sarcasm Medication.

Cracks me up how many people took Boots's original post seriously.

Had a nice chat with a roadie the other day, just before he blew my doors off. I didn't care, I could probably drink him and his shaved legs under the table.

i had a good chat with a dude on a mountain bike about my RELoad bag. he was a fan

If I ride fixed and my wife rides singlespeed, is my position in the hierarchy affected?
Just need to know if I should start looking for a divorce lawyer.

It just determines which positions you should be using in bed.

i hope thats a joke
if its not thats a real jerk thing to do


Well, I guess we know who those born without a funny bone are. Or maybe they fell and broke thiers in a bike crash.


Nice original post, that's some funny stuff. Mainly because I know a few in here have wished they could do it...

my favorite people to talk to are the homeless guys or gals at intersections. sometimes theyre crazy, and sometimes theyre not. either way, its fun.

i too nod at almost every cyclist i ride by and i've noticed an interesting phenomenon. many of them nod back, but almost all of the ones who DON'T nod back are on fixed gear. buncha jerks

There's a word for people like that, isn't there? I just wish I could remember what it was. Oooooh, it's on the tip of my tongue!

There's a word for people like that, isn't there? I just wish I could remember what it was. Oooooh, it's on the tip of my tongue!
I believe the word you're looking for is, "Hamster". Or in East Flatbush, "*****".

I tend nod, smile at, or otherwise acknowledge almost everyone I meet on the road who is not in a car. wether they are walking, jogging, roller skating, or riding a big wheel. I just feel it's easier to make a connection with people who are not closed up in a car.

But back to the intent of the OP. You shoulda punched him in the face!

As we passed, however, I noticed a singleator tacked on to his seatstay and realized in horror that this man was riding not a fixie but a singlespeed! I was mortified..

you need to learn your frame parts, or if he was riding with it up there, that should have told you somethng right away as well.

at least the dude was on a bike and not a segway

XVX

Yeah but he can do 12 backwards circles on that thing. So it almost makes up for it. Almost.

I remember when he came down for Winter Solstice and won the backwards circle contest. I also distinctly remember him riding by with a wheelie shouting out, "I used to ride bmx!!!" He subsequently crashed after completing that sentence. heh heh, good times, good people. see you NYCers soon.

i love it when a race follows a strangers nod.

last night while riding through georgetown, there was a messenger (?) in a shaky trackstand at the light, and I blew straight threw it. half way up the hill i see he has caught up to me and we nod. no word were exchanged.

not wanting to be passed, i accelerated to keep my lead but he kept even.

as this escalalted into an all out sprint race through traffic and accross the key bridge into virginia, i couldn't help but smile that the intensity of our competition was so tangible.

i looked back and he was gone.

http://eatcakegraphics.com/catalog/supp-summer/words-poof.gif

Yeah Man! Those seatstay Singelators are so Rad!

If I ride fixed and my wife rides singlespeed, is my position in the hierarchy affected?
Just need to know if I should start looking for a divorce lawyer.
I think it just means no more babies.

i too nod at almost every cyclist i ride by and i've noticed an interesting phenomenon. many of them nod back, but almost all of the ones who DON'T nod back are on fixed gear. buncha jerks

I nod to all...except when I have to run outta work cause I think someone is stealing my bike.

You married her...... she wins.

Another married guy.....

I nod to every rider going the opposite way, fixie or not...

DW
Although I did enjoy the humor in this thread, I do nod to every riders I see.. I even nod to runners too oh and speed walkers and oh grandpa crossing the road on his wheel chair and ohh.. and ohh and ohh.. well, just a friendly gal here:)

Cracks me up how many people took Boots's original post seriously.

Had a nice chat with a roadie the other day, just before he blew my doors off. I didn't care, I could probably drink him and his shaved legs under the table.
Hey.. dont mess with a men's shaved legs..hehe

something George Constanza would have done.

yeah, well I slept with your wife

... I unclip my pedals going downhill sometimes </special eddie " I pee in my pants sometimes" voice>

Whether people ride fixie, singlespeed, or otherwise, it makes no difference to me. It's important not to be elitist and stereotype.

Whether people ride fixie, singlespeed, or otherwise, it makes no difference to me. It's important not to be elitist and stereotype.


I personally support the velo caste system. People needs to stay in there caste and not make eye contact or be within a ten block radius of others in higher caste than them. SS riders are pretty low in the caste system, but still above bmxer's.

I personally support the velo caste system. People needs to stay in there caste and not make eye contact or be within a ten block radius of others in higher caste than them. SS riders are pretty low in the caste system, but still above bmxer's.
I know mtb'ers r up at the top looking beneath their shoes where everyone else is, but where exactly are the bent riders? Off to the side in the same place the uncle we don't speak about is?

i live in a pretty small city. the cyclists here are about half and half - suspended license type guys on old mountain bikes and rich lawyers in lycra. both tend to return the nod.