Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - fixed gear riding style

A recent post asked the question ;"Fixed Gear Sightings".
I ride in an area where there are no other fixed gear bikes being ridden that I am aware of. I guess my question is; Do you think of fixed gear riding as a "Group" activity or more of a "Solo" activity? I have noted the recent attempt to get up a group ride in Chicago that only produced 2 riders. Maybe the weather was a contributing factor in the low turnout. I know that when I rode multi gear bikes there were always a large number of group rides that I could have gone on if I desired. I know that NYC has the old skool track group in Central park and I wish that I was lucky enough to live in an area to take advantage of that type of gathering. For me, it is a solitary experience and I am guessing that most other people have the same situation. We have not achieved the mega numbers that exist in the largest cities that support the messenger scene, alley cat racing and whatnot. I would be interested in hearing others opinions.

Fixedgearhead

i live in philadelphia. there is a venerable sh1tload of fixed gear bikes in this city. seems to me that people riding fixed gear are more solitary. not often seen in packs, and not always the nicest to meet at the stoplight. they by and large don't seem mean, just disinterested. i dunno. maybe i'm just not hip looking though (well, i'm definitly not hip looking; i'm just not sure if maybe this is why they don't talk to me). i rarely see anyone on a fixed gear outside of the city though. i've been going on a group ride w/ a bunch of roadies and their reaction to me being on the ride suggests they don't see many fixed gears out there either.

dan

It seems to me that there is a small (but growing) and extremely loyal "fix" subculture that is more prevailent in urban areas of major cities and college towns. They even have thier own clothing style (the messenger look) with wierd looking "knickers" I wouldn't be comfortable wearing. I ride fixed but I guess I'm not "with it" or I'm just too old.

This reminds me of the hi-wheelers when I was on the Nite Ride in Indianapolis several years ago. They had thier own lingo, calling each other "wheel".

Mainstream cyclists, even in clubs, just "don't get it", although a few do. One cyclist has a fix that he trains on, it's nothing more than an exercise machine. In the Midwest, most people wonder why anybody would want to ride a bike with just one gear. I really don't think riding fixed is for everybody.

I occasionally ride solo. But the often times when I ride with another individual or a small group, I'm always the only one on a fixed gear. I'm in the process of converting a couple riders.... but it's so hard convincing...

George

College towns? I wish that there was a subculture here that dealt with single speeding and fix riding, but I am the only one that i have ever seen riding a good single speed(in my opinion, rusty cruisers don't count, just because those that ride them here don't think twice about it or consciously choose to get rid of derailluers), much less a fixed gear bike. Im realitivly sure that cleveland has a few, but the whole reason for NYC's mega culture is that it is a mega population center, same with LA and Philly, and DC. Ohio cities may just not have the numbers to produce a lot of such a fringe(but awesome) activity.

i generally ride by myself. i'm not that into the huge pack of riders thing, sometimes even three can be too many. i usually like to ride with just one other person, maybe chat it up...but mostly just ride to places. riding fixed in a highly concentrated urban center with other people can be frustrating, but it's fun when you're by yourself. unless there's a crapload of traffic all bottled up, fixed gets boring for me. for some reason, i need to feel walled in by tall buildings when i'm on my track bike. for me it's a city bike, not a town bike, and i guess that mentality makes me less-inclined to ride it in groups...it's really hard for a group of more than three or four people on track bikes to successfully navigate a city and stay together. someone always gets left behind at a light or something, and that's no fun.

that said, i've been riding my road bike around berkeley a lot more lately. i save the tracks for errands, or when i start to really miss it (i started to have dreams about riding in boston, through all the snowy sludge...all dressed up in my "winter" garb).

I feel the same way. I am in the process of building up a VD country road bob for the wife (and me). I have been thinking about the whole ss cross riding dealie. But as far as track bike riding, I loves the city.

although there's a relatively healthy number of fixies around here, there's only one semi-regular fixie group ride. doesn't often work with my schedule, but it's fun when it does, since it tends to stay urban and quick without being a race.

otherwise, i mostly ride alone or with my wife (the latter is mostly transportation cycling, but i'm slowly getting her hooked on just riding for the sake of riding). once in a while, i'll ride with 3-4 others, and will join a big group ride about twice a year.

even when i ride centuries (standard and metric) one the fixed, i rarely end up riding with anyone. it seems that if i ride them on the regular roadie, i almost always end up on a pack, small or large, or even a paceline. so maybe riding fixed does somehow tend toward the solitary, but it's hard for me to say, since i prefer to ride alone anyway.

it's been that way since i started riding. when i was racing, i mostly trained alone. when i rode off-road a lot, it was almost always alone, or maybe with 1 or 2 other riders. i always liked time trials best, even though i was never really flexible enough to get into a good TT position and still be comfortable.

A recent post asked the question ;"Fixed Gear Sightings".
I ride in an area where there are no other fixed gear bikes being ridden that I am aware of. I guess my question is; Do you think of fixed gear riding as a "Group" activity or more of a "Solo" activity? I have noted the recent attempt to get up a group ride in Chicago that only produced 2 riders. Maybe the weather was a contributing factor in the low turnout. I know that when I rode multi gear bikes there were always a large number of group rides that I could have gone on if I desired. I know that NYC has the old skool track group in Central park and I wish that I was lucky enough to live in an area to take advantage of that type of gathering. For me, it is a solitary experience and I am guessing that most other people have the same situation. We have not achieved the mega numbers that exist in the largest cities that support the messenger scene, alley cat racing and whatnot. I would be interested in hearing others opinions.

Fixedgearhead
I guess that settles it. We are all a bunch of anti-social freaks. Thank heavens that is out of the way and we can get on with the fun of riding fixed. I looked at the website of River City Cycles in Portland Ore. and they advertised a fixed ride one night a week or so. That is what got me to thinking about the situation in general. I do think that it is an urban thing in the main. Although, all you city slickers don't know the fun you are missing bombing down the country roads spraying the farm dogs with halt dog spray and flipping off the cowboys. Who say's the country ain't exciting?


Fixedgearhead

I guess that settles it. We are all a bunch of anti-social freaks. Thank heavens that is out of the way and we can get on with the fun of riding fixed. I looked at the website of River City Cycles in Portland Ore. and they advertised a fixed ride one night a week or so. That is what got me to thinking about the situation in general. I do think that it is an urban thing in the main. Although, all you city slickers don't know the fun you are missing bombing down the country roads spraying the farm dogs with halt dog spray and flipping off the cowboys. Who say's the country ain't exciting?


Fixedgearhead


I ride like I drink..........alone

I ride like I drink..........alone
*whew*
I thought you were going to say "out of the toilet" instead of "alone"...which would have made NO sense

I ride the fixie alone. I had a friend that had a fixed gear and we rode together all the time but he moved. I suppose there is some other fixed riders in Wichita but I don't know them. I've only ever seen one other person riding one here. Beats me why. I love em!

i live in philadelphia. there is a venerable sh1tload of fixed gear bikes in this city. seems to me that people riding fixed gear are more solitary. not often seen in packs, and not always the nicest to meet at the stoplight. they by and large don't seem mean, just disinterested. i dunno. maybe i'm just not hip looking though (well, i'm definitly not hip looking; i'm just not sure if maybe this is why they don't talk to me). i rarely see anyone on a fixed gear outside of the city though. i've been going on a group ride w/ a bunch of roadies and their reaction to me being on the ride suggests they don't see many fixed gears out there either.

dan

i live in philadelphia also, and i agree with your statement, but a lot of times ill get a nod from oncoming fixed riders. wanna ride sometime?

I've ridden with a grand total of 2 other fixed riders. OneTinSloth and BlastRadius. While it's ok tooling around town or going on a couple hour day ride, I much prefer to ride alone (no offense guys :p ).
I had a good ride today with BlastRadius around the China Camp loop in Marin, but for commuting and most training rides, it's easier to worry about only one cadence... yours.

I thought you were going to say "out of the toilet" instead of "alone"...which would have made NO sense

LOL :roflmao:

I guess i like both group rides and te solitude of me alone out on a desolate road...so i am a little bit of both

I disagree fixies ride in groups in chicago. jeff.

I disagree fixies ride in groups in chicago. jeff.
I have heard of said "Windy City Wolfpacks" and witnessed the terror first hand last July. It was beautiful.

Portland has an active fixer population. There's a group ride in the winter time that attracts about a dozen or so riders, from what I hear. I've never been on it...I ride my fixer alone. :)

On thing about fixed is it requires a bit more concentration to just plain ride much less concentrate on holding a line in a Peloton.

*whew*
I thought you were going to say "out of the toilet" instead of "alone"...which would have made NO sense

I pit stop at fire hydrants.

I live right on the route that all the club rides take out of the city it seems. I always see a few groups going out every week. Every week this winter I have to say that I have seen atleast one or two fixed gears in there among all the geared bikes.

Oh and I was half of that Chicago ride. I was just more than happy to get out and go for a ride, it is always nice to have someone to ride with for a change. Yes there is a whole culture thing here about each person diong their own thing, but sometimes it is nice to ride with others.

Sooner or later the Chicago fixies will get together and atleast have a beer somewhere! There is a precedent that has been set, now how are we going to beat that record number of two? Free beer? I bet that would get everyone out.

Here in Helsinki, mostly messengers, ex-messengers and few old track guys ride fixies. With Surly Steamrollers now readily available, fixie cult has really taken off.

i live in philadelphia also, and i agree with your statement, but a lot of times ill get a nod from oncoming fixed riders. wanna ride sometime?

i'd definitely like to ride. any other philadelphians interested(not to disrail this thread)?

Here in Helsinki, mostly messengers, ex-messengers and few old track guys ride fixies. With Surly Steamrollers now readily available, fixie cult has really taken off.
Hey B-
How big is the messer population (old timers and actively working messers) there?

i'd definitely like to ride. any other philadelphians interested(not to disrail this thread)?

I'm down guys.. lemme know where/when and hopefully I can make it :)

feel free to shoot me an email .. marked001@hotmail.com

meow...

I guess that settles it. We are all a bunch of anti-social freaks.

On a recent 70 person ride, only 4 were fixed.

We're not anti social, just, people don't like us.

meow...

Break out that whip......

met a guy on the lakefront yesterday, we headed south from Oak Street beach to 35th. We said hello but that's about it. Instead we silently took turns pulling for each other the whole way. Silent communion. I said goodbye at 35th to head home, but it was awkward and unnecessary. We worked better together in silence.

i'd definitely like to ride. any other philadelphians interested(not to disrail this thread)?

I'm interested... as soon as I get my fixie

Most of the time I ride solo, unless I am with someone else... The only organized ride I ever did I rode fixie, and was still leading the peleton full of people riding uber-bicycles. Everytime we hit a hill though, I suddenly found myself at the back of the pack again, either downhill or uphill. Downhill 48/16 at 38mph = cadence of about 156 which was really difficult for me to sustain...

Most of the time I ride solo, unless I am with someone else...

Usually I ride solo with people.

Usually I ride solo with people.
Well, the voices in my head tell me to ride solo so we can be alone together. I.e., I'm in better company when I ride alone.

I have no style.

Hey B-
How big is the messer population (old timers and actively working messers) there?

about a dozen more or less active messengers at the moment with roughly the same number of vets. Bike messin' is still quite new over here. I think first proper companies started around 94 or so

Well, the voices in my head tell me to ride solo so we can be alone together. I.e., I'm in better company when I ride alone.

I just asked my self the same thing, and I agree with my self.

I have no style.
i don't think it was necessary for you to state that

There's a guy in my neighborhood that has a singlespeed and he had this really kewl cart, when i tried to ask him about his cart and say hi he scowled at me like i was going to ask him for change and shouldered past. Of course in my neighborhood people usually panhandle.

Guess my point is people dont talk to each other in big cities period, even cyclists.

i'd definitely like to ride. any other philadelphians interested(not to disrail this thread)?


i'm moving to philly in july and i actually just started riding a fixed for about a month. still excited bout learning to skid, hold trackstands... it'd be nice to meet ppl who openly welcome trading tips.

Not necessary, but admitting to yourself that you have a problem is the first step on Recovery Road. Now excuse me while I go and watch some MTV and decide which style to buy into.

We've a large number of fixies around RVA, see them all the time. But I've been riding solo so long, geared and fixed, that I never ride with anyone. Habits are hard to break. Most of the fixies are centered at the art school, I think... I've got the only one I've ever seen in northside, and folks wonder at it constantly (why does it only have one speed? Where's the rear brake?etcetc)