Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Random SS/fixie sightings

Sitting at some traffic lights in town the other day, I spotted a guy riding a singlespeed road bike of some kind (might of been fixed, couldn't tell). It had drops and old tri bars, and looked pretty well used :)

Then a couple of days ago I was at a job interview at Halfords (national chain of car parts/bike superstores, kinda evil but it's work), and the guy was telling me about one of the guys in the parts department, who had ridden a century on a fixie that very weekend. I wish he was the one doing the interview, I could have impressed him with my knowledge of fixed gears :)

Anyone else have a tale of unexpected SS spotting?

Just a few messengers on fixed, here in LA...

In t.o. the only people who ride fixed are those who now fire blanks.

fixies everywhere in SF. lots of them messengers, some of them non (like me).

there are some real beautiful ones out there. but, this one in particular - i met this woman and her bike in NYC last year some time:
http://www.oldskooltrack.com/files/images/ashiradacordia.jpg

word,
Dennis

There may be a lot in SF, but I haven't seen a single one in 2 months here in Marin :(

Anyone else have a tale of unexpected SS spotting?

there's one i see locked up at my school pretty much every day. it's a nice raleigh conversion w/ vintage specialites t.a. cranks. tall too. i keep looking at folks when i go to class in the morning to see if i can figure out who rides it.

I saw a red Waterford locked up on my way home from work today.

Portland's full of fixies, both messengers and not.

I never see anyone on any kind of bike here in Toledo.

same here

same here

It can get pretty depressing, huh? When I do see people, they are either elitist on the Rails to Trails, or ghetto cruisers with foil on their spokes, or some homeless/poor people. No "regular" ole people like me. :(

Constant; at least five today I can think of.

I was home in Toledo for a visit a couple of years ago and got pulled over twice in the same day by the cops. First in Sylvania near starlight plaza and second in the old west end. It was very, very funny. later that day I found myself downtown going to visit a friend at Kests office. And was amazed at how empty of any kind of traffic there was downtown. It was great because I could just haul ass and not worry about peds and dumb ass drivers.

oh and Boston is full of every kind of bike I have ever really heard of. Along with everything else. Lots o' fixie and single speed bikes.

Nothin to report from Bowling Green...just a few cruisers, mostly wal-mart bike around here. There are a few Specialized Rockhoppers and Hardrocks, and ive seen a few Gary Fishers, but nothin special. Nobody that ive met here rides just to ride.

I saw a red Waterford locked up on my way home from work today.

that's Jeff's (Geoff?) bike, he's a messenger with Breakaway. he also rides either an 01 or 02 Bianchi Pista

I never see anyone on any kind of bike here in Toledo.Ohio is made up of bunch of fat people or what?......?...... :p

Ohio is made up of bunch of fat people or what?......?...... :p

And lazy, not that I like to name-call. I realized after I posted that I was really doing some labeling, which I don't like to do.

And lazy, not that I like to name-call. I realized after I posted that I was really doing some labeling, which I don't like to do.
Speaking as a temporarily transplanted Ohioan, there is a lard ass factor here that has to be seen to be believed. I think the official state food is "Anything Super sized". People get in their cars to drive to the end of their driveway to pick up the mail and then drive back to the house. Truly sad.


Fixedgearhead

Speaking as a temporarily transplanted Ohioan, there is a lard ass factor here that has to be seen to be believed. I think the official state food is "Anything Super sized". People get in their cars to drive to the end of their driveway to pick up the mail and then drive back to the house. Truly sad.


Fixedgearhead

Absolutely. People who live a half mile from campus drive to class. It is really a sad state of affairs. Also, i ride my bike everywhere, and people call me lazy!! it usually goes like this:"man, you couldn't walk the 3/10ths of a mile to the union? Lazy bastard".

I think that the state food is anything fried, with an order of fries.

Just got back from skiing in Telluride and that place has to be the coaster/cruiser capital of the planet (per capita at least).

Most were mid-market (Dyno, Schwinn, etc.) but I saw a couple of really cool bikes that were rattle-canned black - no ideas on the make. Didn't see any fixies though.

Tons of them here in the Twin Cities, at least when I ride through Minneapolis, I see all sorts locked on Nicolette Mall, and a lot of elitist punkers in leather. I don't know where I fit in the mix cause most of the out of shape 40yo are riding LA Ti bikes made by Trek. I love rolling up on them offering my wheel and then smoking them.
Actually, I feel really evil and guilty when I do that.

Chicago has a ton - always wondering if one of them is one of you folks.

There is this real POS coaster brake singlespeed, white with pink writing-- some sort of free spirit or sears pos that has been chained at the bike rack where i work-- public library for 2 weeks. Nobody has taken anything. As i look at this bike I begin to think that it is pure genius, since its a coaster break, and its ugly and nobody would ever want it.

But yeah, single speed.

You see tons of them around the city here. They are just so practical for a city that is pretty darn flat.

I do also wonder if I ever see anyone from these boards cruising around Chi-town.

OF course coaster brake single speeds count!!! :D

you chicago people need a secret handshake or yell. then you'd know who is who.

made some like:

"BLING! BLING! BIKEFORUMS!" and then shout something like "HOLLA OUT!" after
that definitely would not be mistaken for something else. well, maybe a freak or the sort.

that's pretty neutral for our neck of the woods, but i have no idea if that's how the peeps throw it down in chi town.

Yeah I second the Minneapolis sightings... You either see single/fixed everywhere or those wacky tall bikes the punks are riding...
http://www.dclxvi.org/chunk/outside/htbc/meet.html
http://www.geocities.com/ratpatrolhq/BikesTall.html
or on the trails you see all of the weekend warriors, bikes that cost more than my house... Just 2 weeks ago I had the trails all to myself, now it is like insects scurrying around, an infestation I tell you.

If I have to shout "On your left" to some moron riding in the middle of the trail, I think I am going to start taking the car infested streets. I don't know which is worse...

I know its an older thread, but I had to dig it up. I walked out of the student union after work today, jumped on my bike for the short trip to my dorm. As I passed the bike rack, I saw the first fixed gear bike I've seen on campus. It was a Panasonic conversion, with flat bars and a mount for a computer. It was beautiful, had no brakes, and I was amazed to see one here!

I had two random sightings today

First, I saw some nut with an orange panasonic frame and crazy spinergy wheels whiz by me in the opposite direction on West River Drive...

Then a guy riding a Langster passed me going the opposite way on the bike path. I whipped around, caught up to him, and tried to strike up a conversation. Unfortunately he didn't seem like the talkative type. I can't blame him tho - I wouldn't want to talk to a tool like me either.

I wouldn't want to talk to a tool like me either.

Well, at least you can admit to it!

last week i saw an old raleigh fixie chained outside of a health food store in portland maine.other than that nothin

You see tons of them around the city here. They are just so practical for a city that is pretty darn flat.

I do also wonder if I ever see anyone from these boards cruising around Chi-town.

Same here in Indy. It's pretty flat.

I never see fixies over here besides my own and my friend's. But everyone is on a beach cruiser here (go figure). They make racks to carry your surfboard on them. Lots of roadies and mtbs too.

I never see anyone on any kind of bike here in Toledo.

Honestly the only adult I really remember seeing "seriously" cycling in Toledo was a homeless lady who rode all over town. I don't think I would be comfortable cycling the streets of Toledo as I would probably be the first cyclist on the road many of these people ever saw.

As for Columbus, there are a fair amount of bikers here. Plenty of OSU students ride to class on their Walmart "bikes". A decent amount of respectable mountain bikes and a couple fixies/SS.

I'm in Los Angeles. I see bike mess dudes on fixies ...but not tons of them like in SF. And it seems like the ones on fixies now are guys or girls who came here from another city...most of the guys I've seen down there for a few years have been MTB the whole time.

when I first moved to LA in 99, I used to see this bald dude that rode a bright orange KHS track bike (I think it was the one with the curved seat tube) near the beverely center mall...it was WEIRD to see this dude in LA especially near the beverly center mall of all places...I had just come from SF where you'd see them all over the place, to LA where there aren't that many cyclists, let alone any who ride fixed.

I've also seen a few punk rock kids in echo park who ride 'em...and another weird site was when I saw three punks riding down the Sunset Strip at 10:00 on a friday night, on brakeless track bikes....right in the heart of the weekend party crowds.

The other night I was driving near my house and I saw a guy way up ahead of me like 3 blocks up on a yellow bike...I couldn't tell if it was fixed, but something about the way he was riding made me sure it was.

As for Columbus, there are a fair amount of bikers here. Plenty of OSU students ride to class on their Walmart "bikes". A decent amount of respectable mountain bikes and a couple fixies/SS.

do i get credit for riding to OSU on my fixie? If you're ever on high street i'm sure i've seen you out on yours.

Its funny, my best friend down here can't even ride a bike (24, never learned) and every time we see a biker he asks "do we like that guys bike??"
The answer is, almost invariably "No, see, he has a derailler"
he always responds "what's that mean? Gears? sounds like some p*ssy sh*t to me"

I don't think I would be comfortable cycling the streets of Toledo as I would probably be the first cyclist on the road many of these people ever saw.

heheh

*cyclist rides by*
man driving car (shocked and confused): HOLY CRAP!!! SOMEONE ON A BIKE!!! I'M CONFUSED!!!!
man in passenger seat (terrified): OMG IT HAD TWO WHEELS AND NO ENGINE!!! WHAT TO DO!?!?!!?!?!

[QUOTE=bg4533]Honestly the only adult I really remember seeing "seriously" cycling in Toledo was a homeless lady who rode all over town.

She's still around, with legs of steel, I bet. Honestly, I've "talked" to her before. She's not all there, definitely. ( I was young (11?) and scared...) Now I think that sounds mean...

[QUOTE=merztime]I had two random sightings today

First, I saw some nut with an orange panasonic frame and crazy spinergy wheels whiz by me in the opposite direction on West River Drive...

Of course you know he's here on the forums. RIGHT???

[QUOTE=bg4533]Honestly the only adult I really remember seeing "seriously" cycling in Toledo was a homeless lady who rode all over town.

She's still around, with legs of steel, I bet. Honestly, I've "talked" to her before. She's not all there, definitely. ( I was young (11?) and scared...) Now I think that sounds mean...

I worked at Krogers and talked to her a little and my grandmother has had a few conversations with her. From what I have heard she had a child who died and it was at least partly her fault, but I can't remember why. I have also heard she has family that she sees occasionally that are willing to take her in, but she refuses. When I worked at Kroger she told a friend of mine that she had known someone with the same name as him that had died at around his age and he better watch out because he might die soon too.

saw a soma fixie locked up outside of cup o joe today ... all black and sexy as hell with bullhorn bars....I'm sure the owner saw me outside staring at it, suprised they didn't come out and say something. We fixers are a private group.

meanwhile, back at home, i keep looking to my left where my bike is usally parked, and it's gone. In the shop. I am sad....

saw a soma fixie locked up outside of cup o joe today ... all black and sexy as hell with bullhorn bars....I'm sure the owner saw me outside staring at it, suprised they didn't come out and say something. We fixers are a private group.

meanwhile, back at home, i keep looking to my left where my bike is usally parked, and it's gone. In the shop. I am sad....


Do you ever make it downtown in Columbus s2s? I have been here for two days now and all I see is people riding fixies downtown, I think that I have seen one geared bike down here. You guys here in Columbus have a pretty cool scene. Stopped and hung out with some of the messengers today and they were all riding fixies. Nice and friendly crowd if you just ride up and start talking , everyone here that I have seen has been really cool. :D nice town.

Do you ever make it downtown in Columbus s2s?

I used to work down there, but mostly i'm just back and forth to school. Not much to do downtown for me, but i'll have to get down there to check the messenger scene. I'm still mad i'm missing the alleycat this weekend, was hoping to meet some of the columbus fixie folks. Next time i guess. Hope you're enjoying the city, all this lovely weather we're having.

Every time that I have come to Columbus it seems to rain here. I have been riding most of the day and I am basically soaked, what a way to spend some time out of the city, I love it.

Even just the riders in general, commuters and such, seem to ride fixies here.

Even just the riders in general, commuters and such, seem to ride fixies here.

Every week in one of the papers here, Columbus Alive, they feature some "fashionable" person, their pic, what they're wearing and where they bought it, etc. I usually read it and laugh, but last week it was some guy, who listed his wish that "Columbus would hurry up and get bike lanes through campus and downtown already!!" I'll have to start finding reasons to get downtown and check out the other riders.

Maybe you're just seeing all the fixie riders cause the weather's been so crappy, and we're the only bikers tough enough to get out in the rain and get wet.

[QUOTE=merztime]I had two random sightings today

First, I saw some nut with an orange panasonic frame and crazy spinergy wheels whiz by me in the opposite direction on West River Drive...

Of course you know he's here on the forums. RIGHT???
do you happen to know if the Purple lady is still out there?

Not random :

I ride by one on my way home that never seems to move. Looks like a nice older frame, black, no decals...- bullhorns, no brakes and a back rack with a milk crate bungeed to it. I feel sorry for it - it's getting rusty :(

Other than that it's usually just couriers on their way to work as I ride home... or people going out to the bars downtown as I go to work. It's usually at least 5-10 a day...

Over the winter, pretty much everyone I saw was on a fix, though, unless it was someone on a target/kmart bike that just didn't have a car. I was really surprised to see a girl riding a freewheel with no brake - must have spun the fix side of a flip-flop off or something.

Of course you know he's here on the forums. RIGHT???

Yup. I've even had the great pleasure of meeting him person..

Yup. I've even had the great pleasure of meeting him person..

merz, you up for some SS MTB soon? throw some knobbies on the monocog and we can go to belmont plateau....its much more friendly than wissahickon for SS MTBs...

i might go today around 4 or 5 if the rain holds off....