Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Me and my Fixie in København

So I thought I would give you wonderful forum readers and update on my travels to the wonderful world of Denmark and København to be exact. My bike made it over intact in a cardboard bike box since I didn't want to spend the dough on the fancy plastic ones. I almost got charged excess for it in Heathrow since British Airways effed up on weighing my luggage at LAX. None the less, it was rather nice to go on a ride my first night in town.

I have only spotted about 3 fixies and a million single speed bikes. It's a bike orgy on every street corner since you just put your bikes against the building and not locking my frame to something stationery always gets me. I do keep it in my room when I'm not riding it though. Out of the three fixies I saw two were from messengers working for Deadline and the other was working for the company that rocks green spandex, the name is slipping my head right now.

If you want to talk about efficiency on a bike, try riding here. I haven't ridden in Amsterdam but I can get around here faster than most of my friends can on public transportation which adds up in the end. Plus, you can't beat the thrill of thrashing the streets brakeless on a rainy day. (Today was awesome!) For the most part, my Danish friends think I'm crazy riding it but it's super practical. The largest hill I've found here was a 10 foot incline that lasted about 25 feet. IT MADE MY CALVES BURN!! The tallest point in the country is only 112m high and that's on the island of Børnholm, which I might go tour later. I would send pictures of my bike in battle mode (taped up to the max thanks to OneTin making me think correctly), but I don't have a place to jack my laptop in at my dorm nor on campus. That's where wireless access points come into the picture when I have time to go explore. None the less, riding fixed is still *****in' and only 100x better here since it's all flat and I can vrooom down the streets.

i'm jealous.

have fun. it's a great town to be on a bike.

Supportbraviking got a new haircut for your journey:

Damn! I am jealous. I would love to ride that city.

Please keep the stories coming. And don't forget the pics!

Did you have a Carlsberg and a shrimp sandwich when you landed? If not, go have that combo now. That's the f*ckin' Scandinavian experience. Well not exactly. You must have 10 Carlsbergs and a half-bottom of akvavit. Skål!

Nej, I haven't really had the chance yet since I am usually exhausted from 3 hours of Danish language instruction a day. The language is extremely hard to learn! It is on my list of things to eat though. the only bad thing really so far is living in the ugliest building in all of denmark and also having a kitchen that doesn't work. the international office won't really take us serious with our requests now since someone on our floor had their mom call and threaten to sue our housing director for fraud and have her arrested and stuff. now they just think we are all whiny americans. at least the cycling is fun to make up for the cruddy building we live in. i've just got used to riding in heavy rain and not really caring about getting wet now since it's too hard to avoid.

today i think i also did my dumbest move on my fixie. riding alongside tivoli gardens is fun since there are always buses to go between and it was raining. i had to swing to the left side since the right side was way to narrow and it must have been the narrowest path i have ever gone down. i was so close to the parked cars on the left that i clipped a mirror and my friend thought i was dead since i just "disappeared" between the cars. the one bad thing is they slam you HARD for not having lights or breaking the rules. so i have to be careful since it's about $40 a ticket for each light (front/rear) that are missing. pictures to come soon since we found a wireless signal to leech from.

the one bad thing is they slam you HARD for not having lights or breaking the rules. so i have to be careful since it's about $40 a ticket for each light (front/rear) that are missing. pictures to come soon since we found a wireless signal to leech from.

Yea, it's weird: for being such a liberal country, they do stick it to people for things like bike safey.

Bring on the pictures!

Nej, I haven't really had the chance yet since I am usually exhausted from 3 hours of Danish language instruction a day. The language is extremely hard to learn! It is on my list of things to eat though. the only bad thing really so far is living in the ugliest building in all of denmark and also having a kitchen that doesn't work. the international office won't really take us serious with our requests now since someone on our floor had their mom call and threaten to sue our housing director for fraud and have her arrested and stuff. now they just think we are all whiny americans. at least the cycling is fun to make up for the cruddy building we live in. i've just got used to riding in heavy rain and not really caring about getting wet now since it's too hard to avoid.

today i think i also did my dumbest move on my fixie. riding alongside tivoli gardens is fun since there are always buses to go between and it was raining. i had to swing to the left side since the right side was way to narrow and it must have been the narrowest path i have ever gone down. i was so close to the parked cars on the left that i clipped a mirror and my friend thought i was dead since i just "disappeared" between the cars. the one bad thing is they slam you HARD for not having lights or breaking the rules. so i have to be careful since it's about $40 a ticket for each light (front/rear) that are missing. pictures to come soon since we found a wireless signal to leech from.

Stinky -- tusind takk, det er veldig kult! Jeg er meget imponert. Danmark er dejlig. Jeg taler litt dansk -- vi snakkes. So, have you been anywhere else besides K-town? Are you an exchange student or something?

Translated: Stinky --You are leader of ugly cult! You impose your mullet. Denmark is sad. They want you to dance -- with snakes.

:D

I don't speak danish very well.

Translated: Stinky --You are leader of ugly cult! You impose your mullet. Denmark is sad. They want you to dance -- with snakes.

:D

I don't speak danish very well.

Mwahahaha...quit giving away my secret message :p cult=cool, impose=impressed, mullet=quite, sad=lovely, dance=danish, snakes=talk

The green spandex-rockers rocks!!! :)
stinkyonions -> Check out these sites and see you at global gutz?

http://www.mweb.dk/cbma/
http://www.cph-fxt.ownsthis.com/intro.html

only-haley,
i have only been to roskilde outside of ktown and it wasn't for the festival. i am here learning danish over summer (3 hours a day) and taking courses in fall at the university.

jumbo,
are you a courier here? i have seen so few fixies but i'm riding around on a taped up yellow khs and bullhorns with my bartap peeling off from a shabby wrap job and all the rain. global gutz looks really cool and i think i can "miss" school for a few days. any other information would be gladly appreciated. i tried emailing fish from that website before i left and got no reply. more people to ride with is always fun as the students in my dormitory don't like riding like bats out of hell.

Stinky -- tusind takk, det er veldig kult! Jeg er meget imponert. Danmark er dejlig. Jeg taler litt dansk -- vi snakkes. So, have you been anywhere else besides K-town? Are you an exchange student or something?

Det are mycket interassant att kan jag förstor så mycket dansk. Kan du förstor mig?

The green spandex-rockers rocks!!! :)
stinkyonions -> Check out these sites and see you at global gutz?

http://www.mweb.dk/cbma/
http://www.cph-fxt.ownsthis.com/intro.html

veldigt kul sidor

Kan du förstor mig?

Jep, jeg forstår det. Er du svensk? Jeg lært lit norsk og dansk på højskole men jeg er amerikansk. Hvor bor du i Chicago? Jeg er fra Bucktown.

if i could read more, i´d reply. but today is only my 7th day of danish instruction, so can´t say too much. i can however say cool things like 'jeg kan spille guitar' og 'jeg kommer fra Berkeley i Californien.' so exciting!!!

i'll try and put some pictures up this weekend of my bike in warrior city mode.

Jep, jeg forstår det. Er du svensk? Jeg lært lit norsk og dansk på højskole men jeg er amerikansk. Hvor bor du i Chicago? Jeg er fra Bucktown.

Jävla bra! Jag var föd i chicago men jag är svensk också. Nu bor jag i Roscoe Village, bara ett americansk mil från dig. Skulle vi cycle någon gång?

i'll try and put some pictures up this weekend of my bike in warrior city mode.

Did you get drunk with Danish women, yet?

Hey! Ik dronk mijn fiets en toen de sandwich van het doornhaaienkatje. Ben I een boom? 6 handen en een o.k. voet? Trainstops en tanden!

Did you get drunk with Danish women, yet?

nope. i don't know enough danish yet to soundly remotely decent. i guess i could get buy with english, but drinks are soooo hefty here. i should just fill up my messenger bag and lure the ladies out of the bars with free drinks. or just try the, "hey, i ride brakeless" line.

or just try the, "hey, i ride brakeless" line.

I wouldn't try this. They are very practical people. They may just think you are stupid.


i guess i could get buy with english, but drinks are soooo hefty here. i should just fill up my messenger bag and lure the ladies out of the bars with free drinks.

This on the other hand may work. Stop by the systembolaget (or however they say it in Danish) and buy yourself some booze and then lure them back to your room. Danish women (and people in general) are fun loving types. Drinking will make you many friends/sex partners. :)

BTW: Did you get to the Roskilde Fest?

only-haley,
i have only been to roskilde outside of ktown and it wasn't for the festival. i am here learning danish over summer (3 hours a day) and taking courses in fall at the university.

jumbo,
are you a courier here? i have seen so few fixies but i'm riding around on a taped up yellow khs and bullhorns with my bartap peeling off from a shabby wrap job and all the rain. global gutz looks really cool and i think i can "miss" school for a few days. any other information would be gladly appreciated. i tried emailing fish from that website before i left and got no reply. more people to ride with is always fun as the students in my dormitory don't like riding like bats out of hell.


Yeah i'm one of those messengers rocking green spandex, we are a couple on fixies, and allmost all of the deadline couriers are fixed.
Havent seen you around, but there are not many khs around town so i should be able to recognice you if i see you. I'm riding a light blue schrøder with yelllow front tire.

If you want to meet the cph fix scene then the global gutz would be the place to do it.
It's gonna take place the evening and night between friday 16 and saturday 17 juli and we are going to be riding like bats out of hell.
Check http://www.mweb.dk/cbma/ for updates.
The goal is 21 km - 5 checpoints within 1/2 an hour.

Yeah i'm one of those messengers rocking green spandex, we are a couple on fixies, and allmost all of the deadline couriers are fixed.
Havent seen you around, but there are not many khs around town so i should be able to recognice you if i see you. I'm riding a light blue schrøder with yelllow front tire.


the funny thing is, i think you may have been the first fixie i saw riding around when i was riding through nyhavn one day. i saw a green guy riding a blue fixie down there when i was riding through to get somewhere.



If you want to meet the cph fix scene then the global gutz would be the place to do it.
It's gonna take place the evening and night between friday 16 and saturday 17 juli and we are going to be riding like bats out of hell.
Check http://www.mweb.dk/cbma/ for updates.
The goal is 21 km - 5 checpoints within 1/2 an hour.

it sounds like a blast and i am totally done. i would really like to meet more people in general since our whole floor is american kids. i can meet americans all day at home. plus the danes i have met so far are way cooler anyways. i guess it's time i start studying maps of the city or just try to wheelsuck someone the whole time since i've only been here for a week and i'd be bound to get lost. i'll just be t he rookie with the map.

i finally did my first metric century on sunday. the funny thing is i always seem to ride much further on my track bike and the scenery along the coast sucked me in. then it started to pour for about an hour and i decided to keep riding. it's so nice being sooooooo flat here since a fixed gear is both practical for commuting and longer rides. it just makes you more of a hardass when you get tired and need to finish. i met a courier, fish, on the streets last week and it's funny how riding a fixie makes you noticed by a small percentage of people. it's like a worldwide family where ever you may be.

things to purchase:
spd pedals since míne broke before i left
bartape since i did an ass job on my homebrew bullhorns before leaving

Yeah i'm one of those messengers rocking green spandex, we are a couple on fixies, and allmost all of the deadline couriers are fixed.
Havent seen you around, but there are not many khs around town so i should be able to recognice you if i see you. I'm riding a light blue schrøder with yelllow front tire.

If you want to meet the cph fix scene then the global gutz would be the place to do it.
It's gonna take place the evening and night between friday 16 and saturday 17 juli and we are going to be riding like bats out of hell.
Check http://www.mweb.dk/cbma/ for updates.
The goal is 21 km - 5 checpoints within 1/2 an hour.

Does Gröna B still use the **** Ortlieb backpacks?

Does Gröna B still use the **** Ortlieb backpacks?

The backs are of the brand "Vaude" now, still with two shoulderstraps like a regular backpack

The backs are of the brand "Vaude" now, still with two shoulderstraps like a regular backpack

I hated the Ortlieb backpacks while working for 'Fillarilahetit' here in Helsinki... Does Deadline have a website, by the way?

I hated the Ortlieb backpacks while working for 'Fillarilahetit' here in Helsinki... Does Deadline have a website, by the way?

http://www.deadline.nu/old/

These guys are the true heroes: "All fixed all the time", "No risk no fun".

I allmost forgot "you don't go faster in tights"

http://www.deadline.nu/old/

These guys are the true heroes: "All fixed all the time", "No risk no fun".

Thanks :) Have to check these guys out if I pop over to Copenhagen next year

if you have never raced in an alleycat, go out and find one!

thanks to jumbo i got to race in the global gutz competition last night here in copenhagen and it was the most intense race ever. granted road races and mtb racing was fun in the past, nothing can compare to this. it was especially fun since i had to just wheelsuck people the whole way since i didn't know where a single street was. there's just something about blasting down streets in a pack of riders at night that makes it so much more interesting than your typical boring lap races. then again racing with the only rule being, there are no rules adds something else as well.

so try and alleycat if there is one near you. you won't regret it.

if you have never raced in an alleycat, go out and find one!

thanks to jumbo i got to race in the global gutz competition last night here in copenhagen and it was the most intense race ever. granted road races and mtb racing was fun in the past, nothing can compare to this. it was especially fun since i had to just wheelsuck people the whole way since i didn't know where a single street was. there's just something about blasting down streets in a pack of riders at night that makes it so much more interesting than your typical boring lap races. then again racing with the only rule being, there are no rules adds something else as well.

so try and alleycat if there is one near you. you won't regret it.


were most of the roads paved or cobbles?

How's the summer been otherwise? Get to Roskilde for the fest?

were most of the roads paved or cobbles?

How's the summer been otherwise? Get to Roskilde for the fest?

from what i remember, 95% of the roads i rode on were paved except for the few times i skidded like a maniac not knowing turns into dirt and also when i left and came back into the start/finish point. that was cobblestones but it wasn't too bad at all. it was the most fun i've had on my fixie, let alone any of my bikes.

i didn't get to make it out to roskilde since i was pretty busy with school and didn't think standing in puddles of mud for 4 days would be too fun. i am a little upset i missed it since there was a lot of acts i wanted to see, but then again there is still plenty left to do and see around here. i'm supposed to be going to berlin in 2 weeks for 5 days with some friends during our week off. once again, scandinavia rules and i need to find a way to come back again and live here for more than 6 months. i might take the swedish language course next summer if my school will let since i have too many credits already.

i might take the swedish language course next summer if my school will let since i have too many credits already.

Glad to hear that you are enjoying it.

I did a Swedish course in Uppsala in the summer of '95. It was a great time. Stockholm would also of course be fun, but possibly distracting, if you really wanna learn a language. Plus, you can train it to Stockholm in like 55 minutes from Uppsala.

If want any more info, PM me.

How are those pictures coming along?

i am in berlin right now until thursday, but i did throw my pictures online if you want to see them.

www.brandonchalk.com/denmarkgallery

I will be the first to confess that I committed a sin and rode a geared bike this weekend. Granted I have a geared bike back in the states, I was trying to ride freewheel less for 6 months and have been successful until now. However, being as our program rented bikes for us and I was on the awesome island of Bornholm, I had to ride it. I did my best by trying to never brake and only switched gears maybe 3 times, one of them being to find my speed to stick with for the day. One thing is certain, once you ride fixed consistently, hopping on a geared bikes makes you realize how much power from your legs is lost as the chain winds through pulleys and other useless junk.

jeg elsker min fixie.

nyc is like that too, 40 for the lights 40 if no bell, 40-200 if no brake. 40 if no hands, 40 -80 if using walkman, and i'm sure tons of other stufff. just got 80 for no bell/going wrong way on one way, funny thing is that i just turned to avoid drunk van guy--right into 2 250-300lb. bicycle cops. woulda run, but was on my work bike with tonos-o -groceries if id been on my fixed, you coulda added 40-200 to that.

people are talikg about how fixies are cool and getting more and more mainstream, but it kinda sucks in nyc, cause the po-po have picked up on this. almost everyday I see a newb on a shiny pista getting a ticket, and this is often by squad car cops who never really stop bicylists (i've personally pulled some crazy sht if front of them often). they just seem to know now,...more than ever. i mean it was always likely in the past too if you ran into a bike cop.

Musta been a lot of groceries - or were they actually fit 250-300lb bike cops?

You have to have a freakin BELL??? Does a whistle count? Wow.

Actually, I think we have to have a bell or horn here in New Orleans as well. I've heard the same for NYC too.



i am in berlin right now until thursday, but i did throw my pictures online if you want to see them.

www.brandonchalk.com/denmarkgallery

<offtopic>
I love the International Bicycle Messenger Hottie in a Suit Day gallery. Mmmm. Look out #6 and 9, I have a package for you!

I now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.

</offtopic>

Vincent

supposedly you have to have a bell. i had a whisle around my neck and they siad it didn't count. cant tell you how mwny times i've had a bell fail att the wrong moment. and they were big fat cops. it was actually pretty ridiculous seeing this wall of fat coming at me on their bikes.

-t

i haven't had much problem riding my fixie in denmark or berkeley. for the most, people just think i am downright insane for riding brakeless. i know two of the things ticketed for most here in københavn are no lights and running red lights. jumbo said a messenger uses an airhorn around here as his horn. i know that would definitely get someone's attention fast.

i personally just prefer to use the 'no one sees me' approach and ride cautiously. it has worked fine so far.

Man you are lucky you brought your bike over. I've been out here in Kolding for about 3 weeks now and I don't think there's a single fixie around for hundreds of kilometers. If you see any nice road frames or anything around, please do let me know, I am dying to get back on a bike, and ideally one that isn't over 40 lbs. and extremely curvy.

Damn! I am jealous. I would love to ride that city.

Please keep the stories coming. And don't forget the pics!

Did you have a Carlsberg and a shrimp sandwich when you landed? If not, go have that combo now. That's the f*ckin' Scandinavian experience. Well not exactly. You must have 10 Carlsbergs and a half-bottom of akvavit. Skål!

Personally, I prefer Faxe. If you haven't had a chance yet, then you should go up the Round Tower. It was one of my favorite places in Copenhagen beacsue you can see the whole city from the top, and it's only 36 meters high!

There used to be a bike shop in Christiana, has that gone now the government took the land back?

You should check out Pedal Atleten on Gråbrødretorv - a pretty good bike shop.

Also, get out to the velodrome! http://www.bsar.dk/Default.aspx?ID=8