Southern California - Oh Noes!! An Anti-Fixie Movement!!

edit: btw, WTF is the idea behind the radically chopped fenders? must be a new 10-speed hipster trend.

Least effective fenders, ever, that's what. Much like an ironic t-shirt, hipsters aim for the ultimate in ironic.
Yet, still, they fail to see the irony in their own aims.

Ragging on "hipsters" is so two years ago.

Tell Don I'm gonna kick his ass. I don't care how tall he is

Yeah, he's crouched down quite a bit in that photo. I'd still rule him in the low post though.

*looks at HT* Jesus how tall is he?

Ragging on "hipsters" is so two years ago.

Commenting on ragging on hipsters is so three years ago.

He says 6'-8" and don't ask him if he plays basketball.

never even crossed my mind

Commenting on ragging on hipsters is so three years ago.

True, but being passé is the latest cool trend.

don may be four inches taller but ive got bigger shoes.

You and your clodhoppers, T. I'd post you up too. Only Big Game James Worthy has a quicker drop-step than me.

Here's what I don't get:

Why differentiate based on clothes, fenders, gears, etc.?

Feh. I guess I'm guilty of reverse-snobbery. When I read the ride report from the fellas on fixies who did the century where-ever-it-was, I was f'n impressed. Jeans, messenger bags, limited gears....good times.

i need this.

Hey Hollywould,

Is this the Hollywood from MTBR? Jeff?

Long time no see man...

Doin' Tour De Palm Springs on the fixed-gear again this year?

Here's what I don't get:

Why differentiate based on clothes, fenders, gears, etc.?

I'd bet the cop who pulled me over tonight for legally using a left turn lane would not have done so if I was decked out in recreational gear instead of the sweatshirt and jeans I had on. He was convinced I had been running from him because of how fast I was going, flashlight/eye tested me for methamphetamine use, and advised me to stop lying about my name to avoid warrants. I deftly turned it all around on him, as evidenced by the sheepish tone he took when eventually wishing me a good evening.

True, but being passé is the latest cool trend.

Commenting on the latest trend is so last year.

Breaking News! My baby is a star! She is featured on the front page (http://oldtenspeedgallery.com/)!

fgg is such a joke sometimes. you all should check out the "jackass fgg bike of the day" thread in ssfg.

I'd like to read that thread but didn't find it.

Are you sure it's still there?

Commenting on the latest trend is so last year.

Exactly. I win! :D

Breaking News! My baby is a star! She is featured on the front page (http://oldtenspeedgallery.com/)!

Congrats ;) She does look nice.

However, if today I were to find my early 70's blue Centurion Le Mans that was stolen back in college abandoned on the side of the road I would leave it. What a POS.

Does anyone else find the number of "womens" bikes with two down tubes and no top bar to be offensive to the eyes? It's one thing in a $300 mountain bike, but in a road bike: ack!

Does anyone else find the number of "womens" bikes with two down tubes and no top bar to be offensive to the eyes? It's one thing in a $300 mountain bike, but in a road bike: ack!

No. You are the only one.

Breaking News! My baby is a star! She is featured on the front page (http://oldtenspeedgallery.com/)!Grooveh! :beer:

mixte frames are fine. dont be a racist.

Does anyone else find the number of "womens" bikes with two down tubes and no top bar to be offensive to the eyes? It's one thing in a $300 mountain bike, but in a road bike: ack!

Oh man are you in for it now...;)

I don't call my mixte a "road bike"...it's a "girl power" bike...:D

My "other" Motobecane...

http://www.geocities.com/alicestrong@sbcglobal.net/MotoGrand.jpg

Oh look whos bike is featured (http://oldtenspeedgallery.com/)? Our own Mod from New Zealand...

Oh look whos bike is featured (http://oldtenspeedgallery.com/)? Our own Mod from New Zealand...

Yes and my old 'Concorde' looks really lovely too :D

Your Motobecane is one sweet bicycle Alice. I used to borrow my one-time girlfriend's NZ built 'Healing' mixte, but I've never actually owned one myself. I keep searching though and I know I'll find myself just the right one for me one day.

Oh man are you in for it now...;)

I don't call my mixte a "road bike"...it's a "girl power" bike...:D

My "other" Motobecane...

http://www.geocities.com/alicestrong@sbcglobal.net/MotoGrand.jpg

I'm gonna be honest with you. I don't like it. But it's not what I was talking about.

Pictures? :) :D

Pictures? :) :D

http://oldtenspeedgallery.com/blog/wp-content/bikes/anne-morrison-concorde.jpg

Ah...I understand now. When I hear "two top tubes" I think mixte...

I think frames designed like that ( I think of them as loopy frames or step-throughs ) ARE unattractive to many people...for different reasons and as you say...especially in a road bike design. Do you think it's because they are so "unlike" the racing style bikes that people normally expect?

The Sportabout was marketed as a bike for "girls who want a bike like the men"...I think it was the drop bars they were referring to.

http://www.geocities.com/alicestrong@sbcglobal.net/__77sport.jpg

It's a really good frame for short hop, stop and start type riding especially if you're a woman like me who cycles in a skirt.

It's a really good frame for short hop, stop and start type riding especially if you're a woman like me who cycles in a skirt.


A skirt! Absolutely...:)

I think the woman in the ad is wearing a prototype Assos bib for ladies...

It was really tough for cyclists back then.

Note the beach bike path wasn't even paved yet...we all had to ride through the sand...;):)

Ah...I understand now. When I hear "two top tubes" I think mixte...

I think frames designed like that ( I think of them as loopy frames or step-throughs ) ARE unattractive to many people...for different reasons and as you say...especially in a road bike design. Do you think it's because they are so "unlike" the racing style bikes that people normally expect?

The Sportabout was marketed as a bike for "girls who want a bike like the men"...I think it was the drop bars they were referring to.

http://www.geocities.com/alicestrong@sbcglobal.net/__77sport.jpg
I think they're ugly because the design is ineffective. It decreases strength, which means they have to use heavier tubing which increases weight.

It took a long time to arrive at the diamond frame, and there were LOTS of junky "womens" frames along the way (including one high wheeler where the wheels didn't line up, and the lady didn't even have to straddle the bike; she rode side saddle -- my only picture is in a book so don't ask).
At this point, women don't ride bicycles in dresses so there's no reason to have two down tubes.

At this point, women don't ride bicycles in dresses so there's no reason to have two down tubes.

Um..... I do. Quite a few female utility type bicycle riders do actually.

At this point, women don't ride bicycles in dresses so there's no reason to have two down tubes.

Sure they do, in every continent on this planet.

Um..... I do. Quite a few female utility type bicycle riders do actually.

Then do it on a utility bike, not a racing bike! Strength and speed ratios aren't a concern on utility bikes anyway.


While I've seen dozens of female riders, I've not yet seen one wearing a skirt or dress.

(sniff) I love my old Morrison Concorde. I wear long skirts for religious reasons and I really like this style of frame on a sports lightweight or 'racing' bicycle because I can still enjoy the delight of riding a 1980s 10 speed and remain properly dressed while doing so.

Then do it on a utility bike, not a racing bike! Strength and speed ratios aren't a concern on utility bikes anyway.


While I've seen dozens of female riders, I've not yet seen one wearing a skirt or dress.

Come up to Seattle. You can see me riding in a skirt during the summer :) .

East Hill

Real men ride pink mixtes...;) :)

http://oldtenspeedgallery.com/owner-submitted/harvs-omega-mixte-10-speed/

You mean like this one, Alice?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v346/igor441/omega/omega9.jpg

Cor, - that's lovely. How do you find those handlebars to ride with?

After decades of riding with various handlebars (drop, riser, north roads, flat, etc.)
I settled on the flat bar as my favorite. I like a few degrees of upward tilt, a few degrees
of pullback. This puts my wrists at a comfortable angle with no compression of the carpal
tunnel. I like about a 20 inch width. These particular bars were chopped down from a
mountain bike bar with built-in bar ends. I cut off the bar ends but you can see a bit of
a curve to the ends of the bar as shown in the photo below. These bars are very comfortable.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v346/igor441/omega/omega5.jpg

You mean like this one, Alice?


Exactly like that one, Harv...:)


oops I mean Igor....

You people are WAY off topic - this is supposed to be about Fixed gear hating, not Mixte Love.

After doing a couple of rides with the MidnightRidazz, I figured I'd check out what the Fixie craze was all about by Googling "Fixed Gear Bicycles".

What I found was a number of really good articles about all kinds of bike related stuff (not just fixed gear) by this guy:

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/images/scb_eagle.jpeg
Sheldon Brown

Unfortunately, he just passed away 2/3/2008 - RIP Sheldon.

I did however build a fixed gear out of an old Schwinn 10 speed with parts I ordered from his store.

So am I "Fixed Gear Forever"?

No - that is so stupid.

I do ride my fixie quite a bit though, and I must say that I thoroughly enjoy it. I've got it geared a little on the high side, so it's great when I only have a 1/2 hour or so on a weekday to get a work out in. On the weekends, I ride my road bike.

Edit: I've also used Sheldon's site as a guide for wheel building and finding parts for old bikes. If you've never checked it out, it's neat site: http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/

BillyB hey there...BillyB

Have you had time to poke around Bike Forums a little bit yet?

Mr. Brown was a regular poster to the Mechanics Forum...

Darn those fixies.

I got DUSTED by one tonight. Lovely aqua (don't call it teal, yo!) frame, hollering up Ocean Park Boulie. The rider timed the light just right to HOWL down the hill around 7th and up the incline to SMC. While I dawdled in the line of cars.

Goooo, fixie!

I love when that happens.