Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Where you all at?

Just wanted to throw out a line to see where everyone is located in this grand country...

I recently moved to the Portland area and have been fixin' it up around town quite a bit. I've seen lots of fixies here, but haven't actually run into any riders as of yet.

So lets give a brief comment about yourself, your location, and your ride. Hopefully we can get some groups together for riding, polo, or the consumption of frosty beverages.

I'll start:

I'm Pete, a freshly graduated mechanical engineer. Recently relocated to Portland for job prospects. I am currently riding a converted Trek, can't miss it with the orange Maxxis tires, primer paint job, and bullhorns.

You'll probably run into me in SE, or at any Stumptown locale'.

Alright, your turn guys -

Kevin

Child and Family Therapist living in Center City Philadelphia.

I ride a Fuji Track bike and when I know I am going somewhere where I will have to lock up outside overnight or just someplace shady, I have a Huffy Superstar converted Brakeless Fixed Gear (feel free to laugh).

You can usually find me at McGlinchys, Bob and Barbaras, or Tattooed Moms.... or just riding through the streets at odd hours of the night.

I am phil.

I ride too many different bikes to list, check out the picture gallery to see a couple of em. If I get around to it I will be posting a picture of the bike I built up this morning. I ride in Minneapolis, mostly southside during my commute. Usually I get on my bike around 6:15 am and start the ride home at 7:00 pm. Yesterday however, I worked from 7am till 10:15pm 15.25 hours, lucky for me I am salary though.

I will ride with any of ya all, just come out and meet me... Heck as long as you are within 25 miles of me, I will come out and meet you....

I work too much to socialize, so my days off I do tend to tear it up, tonight I spent 4 hours at psycho suzi's tiki bar, tomorrow who knows...

Phil

I'm Chris, I'm a student at Iowa State University (in Ames, IA) studying mechanical engineering and I work at the LBS. Don't currently have a fixed gear, but almost. I picked up an old Lotus Classigue at work and am building up a fixed rear wheel for it. Parts should be arriving tomorrow so by the end of the week I should be rolling fixed. I also have a Trek 2200.

Not many fixed gear riders here, I only know of one really.

I'm Evan
<hidden>I enjoy long walks on the beach, poetry, and unicorns.</hidden>
You're 31337 if you can see this!
Still in school working toward an MS in Computer Science

Currently living in West Philly; you're most likely to see me crossing the Ben Franklin bridge on my IRO Mark V (I commute to my job in Camden). You also might see me riding with my co-worker, merztime (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=9734). A bunch of new people just got hired at my job that apparently ride SS/fixed, but I don't know if they are on the forum.

Black Mark V with gold/orange saddle and bar tape. Pics here (http://pictures.sultanik.com/iro/).

I haven't slept in two days; my eyes hurt.

Limbo...and I've been here a very long time. When I'm fixed I'm on a '78 Raleigh Competition GS. When I'm not I'm either on a '99 Cannondale XS-800 or a Lotus Eclair I pulled from the garbage, or one of my other masterpieces cobbled together from trash. I like to ride bikes, drink beer and look at pretty women. There are other things like music and art that I like but I won't go into that. I don't know anybody else around here that rides a bike for recreation much less for transportation so it just me -vs- the minivan. RARR!

Professionally, I am currently selling my soul as a freelance assistant to commercial photographers. I don't get to shoot, but I do get to do most of the physical work. With luck, my days doing this are numbered before I move on to better things.

Fixed, I ride a Marin Verona set up running 52x18 (48x18 as soon as my new chain ring comes....which was ordered some two weeks ago...). Multi-speed freewheeling, I ride a Trek 6700 mountain bike, which just feels weird as hell for the first half hour riding it after riding nothing but fixed for a while.

Oh yeah. Currently in Chicago. Within a year, possibly in Tokyo or Missoula, Montana. Or still Chicago. Who knows.

Missoula's a fun town, but not much there for work... That's why I had to move out to Minneapolis, where I run huge digital printers. 180 pages a minute in BW... I ride a Bianchi track bike - she's a lot of fun, 48x16, but I need to drop that to 46x16 sometime soon....

pete, i shall be seeing you next year. i'm going to reed college and will be moving up from sf in late august. i just finished building my first fixie today. its spraypainted a nice mustard yellow, so keep your eyes open.

sid

I'm Tuomo, 32 year old bike messenger working into my 3rd year on the road in Helsinki, Finland, Yrop

Current ride 55cm black Soma Rush fixie, brakeless, 50-18 ratio

homepage www.stringyspit.net

Human resources temp in Minneapolis, returning to school in fall for speech & hearing sciences.

My "nice bike" is an orange Bianchi with a SS/fix flip-flop; and my "ugly bike" is a singulated Fuji Boulevard, painted silver & black, that's too heavy/ugly/rusty for anyone but me to love (my first bike--I can't let go).

i do 3d computeranimation in london. i am czech but i lived most of my life in germany
and austria. i ride a fixed lotus road bike at the moment and 5 or 6 other bikes.

Dobry den, sohi (have to show off the czech skills whenever possible :P)! Anywho, the name's Nick, entering my fourth year at the University of Texas in Austin, studying English and History. I work as a computer tech on campus, and on the weekends I pedicab downtown (pretty awesome job).

Finished my first fixie about a month ago, a 59cm 46x16(or 18) old trek frame. Lovin' it. I decided to build one after I saw two guys on campus one day nonchalantly doing backwards 360s and no-handed track stands for minutes at a time. I went up and talked to them for a while, and they introduced me to the fixed gear, let me ride one of theirs around for a little while, basically supernice guys. There's not too many fixed riders in Austin, maybe because of the hills, so the only place I hear any flak about 'posengers' and whatnot is on these boards. Seems silly to me: fixed riding should be an excuse for camaraderie, not elitism.

ahoj stronzo, jak jse mas? :)

I'm James. Born in SF, raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, recently moved back to the states to find work. Found work in an ad agency in NJ and commute by car to and from work from Long Pond, PA. Haven't seen any fixed riders in Long Pond, let alone any roadies. Lots of mountain bikers though. And deer and black bears and wild turkeys! I ride a converted 49cm 80s Miele road bike with 27" wheels and a black to yellow original fade, chopped and flipped drops, and a front brake. Runnning a 44x14 gear. Thinking of powdercoating or DIYing it a nice orange soon. I also ride a 14" SS Kona LavaDome with rigid fork and huge Nokian Gazzalodi JR DH tire up front. She's geared at 32x16. I've got lots of other bikes in various states of (dis)repair from 2 54cm road bikes (80s Bianchi and early 90s Miyata) several mountain bike frames, a 100th Anniversary edition Schwinn cruiser frame and a early 70s Raleigh Chopper with Sturmy Archer 3 speed internal hub (which I may plan on selling as is). I'm also happily married with 4 boys ranging in age from 2 to 9. They've got singlespeeds too! And my 2 year old will be getting a fixed gear tricycle soon. My wife doesn't understand my obsession with bikes . Thank God she lets me watch the TdF!!!

Currently fighting the good fight in Washington DC with my Special ed Angst, 48x16. Not for long though, headed for Charlottesville, VA in a couple of weeks. I won't miss shattered-glass-lined streets.

Ex-line cook by way of C-ville and Chicago (Is Soul Kitchen in Wicker Park still around?). Current architectural CAD tech.

Spend the rest of my time (when not riding, or thinking about riding or talking to other people about riding) rock climbing, or thinking about rock climbing or talking to people about rock climbing or shooting pool.

Any fixies or SSer's in Charlottesville? 'fess up!

I'm Jay in Atlanta (neighborhood = Reynoldstown). I work as an investigator for a state wide public defender office that only handles death penalty cases (i.e. we fight the death penalty). I ride a Bianchi Pista (it's my only bike). I'm upgrading as things break. I've had it about a year and I've only replaced the rear wheel and handle bars (the bars didn't break, I just wanted different ones). I like beer, the Big Lebowski, and Karl Marx. I despise SUV's, George Bush, and John Kerry (but I'll vote for him anyway (http://www.johnkerryisa******bagbutimvotingforhimanyway.com/)). Yippee!

Seth here, I'm a stay at home dad living in New Caney Texas, which is basically an ugly pimple on the side of the hulking stinking mass of humanity known as Houston. I live here becuse I love my wife and she works here. Stupid oil industry, why can't they relocate someplace better. Grrrrrrrr.......
I ride a couple bikes, but my main ride is a Kogswell F54 fixie, 42x16, with TWO brakes. I only ride on weekends because I sort of have to watch the kids during the day. I dream of one day commuting to a job.

chemist in milwaukee, soon to be cudahy.

brakeless fixed-
winter/rain/grocery bike = concorde road conversion (mushi-atsui)
all other days = merckx pista (xe dạp or little mush)

single speed-
going nowhere fast = my first bike, '79 schwinn stingray

mt. bikes-
favorite = rigid fork breezer jet stream
mud dog = trek 6000

ahoj stronzo, jak jse mas? :)

Dobre dobre, a ty? Jenom sedim na prace a posloucham hudebni.

Woooo, I bet I just butchered those two sentences. :eek:

Where you all at?

I'm from the land where sentences don't end in prepositions. Also known as an english-speaking country. Columbus Ohio to be precise. I'm a posenger, and the messengers have figured it out already. I look longingly at the messengers eating lunch on the state house lawn everyday and wish i was one of them.

I'm a law student at OSU, and I also work for the statewide public defender, in the Non-Capital division, which means our co-workers fight the death penalty. I ride a customized stock langster (ha HA). I drink, many many beers. I smoke too many cigarettes. That's about it all there is right now.

"I like beer, the Big Lebowski, and Karl Marx. I despise SUV's, George Bush, and John Kerry but I'll vote for him anyway"

Dude, that's pretty much how i feel about those same issues. I'm even against the death penalty as it stands. But if they could take someone out in the back 40 and shoot them in the head instead of spending millions of dollars then i would be for it. Guess we just diverted there.

Anyways, Ted, Wichita, KS, work for the City as a janitor. I get annoyed when people say i'm an avid cyclist because I'm not. Riding isn't a hobby for me it's a symptom of my life choices. Low stress physical job, bicycle instead of a car, books instead of TV. And a library card instead of attending college because you can learn a lot more, cheaper, that way. Avid cyclists put on spandex and ride for hours, people like me freeze our asses off in the winter with snot frozen in our ski masks.

Im Dre, Originally from Atlanta but after the Marine Corps I stayed in Hawaii. Had a short lived job as a messenger before getting my job as a helicopter mechanic. Im 24, No one in Hawaii knows how to drive, I love Jesus Christ, and I refuse to buy a car.

Iro Mark V with all the parts from my old schwinn world sport fixie. Only IRO on the island.

I've been a self-employed electronics engineer for the last 20 years and an ROV (remotely operated [underwater] vehicle) pilot since 1980. I work mostly with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute now but occasionally with others. My good bike is my Rodriguez (locally made) and my other good bike ;-) is my Surly Steamroller....I love them both. BTW, coaster brakes rule! .....and 100% linux since 1997!

Jim

i'm Dennis. IT guy at a PR firm here in San Francisco. we have 32 employees and 28 are women. blessing or curse? i choose curse.

been riding a converted-to-fixed early 90's giant for the past 5 years. however, my fiance just last week got me an engagement bike - khs aerotrack orange slopey top tube. it's awesome. and so is she.

-Dennis

Environmental engineer in Seattle, the summer days are beautiful and perfect for riding, fixed or not, as for the winter, well that's a different story. We definitely pay our dues in the rain and hills, but the pay off is huge! Currently the fixed is my all-around bike commuting, playing, etc.

Although the gears still do come out occasionally on big road rides.

(Is Soul Kitchen in Wicker Park still around?).
sorry, no. Not sure what stands in its place

']sorry, no. Not sure what stands in its place

my blood runs cold, my memory has just been sold...

it did have good breakfast potatoes...went there a coupla times, when finances allowed.

You also might see me riding with my co-worker, merztime (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=9734).

I'm Andy (but most call me Merz) and yes I'm also working on my MS in computer science. I also live in west philly, but spend most of my days (and often nights) working over the bridge in Camden. I'm riding a gray Pista with the default 48x16.

And yeah, I do occasionly ride with that tool, Syntax ;)

I'm Evan
<hidden>I enjoy long walks on the beach, poetry, and unicorns.</hidden>
You're 31337 if you can see this!
Still in school working toward an MS in Computer Science

Currently living in West Philly; you're most likely to see me crossing the Ben Franklin bridge on my IRO Mark V (I commute to my job in Camden). You also might see me riding with my co-worker, merztime (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=9734). A bunch of new people just got hired at my job that apparently ride SS/fixed, but I don't know if they are on the forum.

Black Mark V with gold/orange saddle and bar tape. Pics here (http://pictures.sultanik.com/iro/).

I haven't slept in two days; my eyes hurt.

Oh, and Evan, I guess I am "31337"
(content is unaltered, emphasis mine)

Environmental engineer in Seattle, the summer days are beautiful and perfect for riding, fixed or not, as for the winter, well that's a different story. We definitely pay our dues in the rain and hills, but the pay off is huge! Currently the fixed is my all-around bike commuting, playing, etc.

Although the gears still do come out occasionally on big road rides.

I was up in Seattle for the first time a few weeks ago and really dug it. The weather was perfect. How bad is the winter really? How cold does it get?

I was up in Seattle for the first time a few weeks ago and really dug it. The weather was perfect. How bad is the winter really? How cold does it get?
Its not as bad as everyone says, sure it rains, but never very hard and not nearly as much as everyone claims. Its not that cold, snow is a very rare occurrence, many winters pass without any snow.

Im Dre, Originally from Atlanta but after the Marine Corps I stayed in Hawaii. Had a short lived job as a messenger before getting my job as a helicopter mechanic. Im 24, No one in Hawaii knows how to drive, I love Jesus Christ, and I refuse to buy a car.


Do you know a guy named Magnum? :) Living in Hawaii must be great. i've never been there but have only heard good things.

I'm Dave. I'm a partner in an interactive design firm called eatdrink (www.eatdrink.com). I stay away from food with a face and like my music punk and rock. Currently in Chicago by way of Las Vegas. I work stupidly long hours and try to fill the rest of the time on two wheels. Look for me downtown, I'll be the posenger with the tan chrome bag on a 1986 Fuji Pulsar (42x16 SS) with an artistically handicapped electrical tape job or my soon to be complete 1948 Repco gold Path Racer (48x18 fixie).

Howdy.
-Dave

Hawaii is allright. I've been here for about 5 years so all the allure has worn off. If things go right i'll be living in San Fran Dec 05'. Only one messenger company (Maybe 5 or 6 messers) for the whole island. A handful of fixie riders but never any get togethers. We are workin on it.

I'm Matt. I'm in Madison, WI. Just graduated from the university here, more-or-less film studies/production (what little they offer). I'm moving to Arizona in a month.

I've got a "safety green" spraypainted Bianchi fixie, three weeks old. Otherwise, I ride an old VooDoo hardtail, a Miyata racer, and an old mongoose SS conversion. I mainly commute around town and occasionally hit the S. Kettles for offroad. There seem to be plenty of fixed people here in town, but I don't really know anyone else.

I try to do all my own repairs. My hands are usually pretty scraped and greasy.

Seattle has very few big rainstorms, just lots of perpetual small storms. It's actually warm here in the winter, it snows maybe once a year and when it does, the city shuts down and it becomes a big playground!

my name is chris. i'm 27. i live in colorado springs. i work at a die sinking shop. we make the forging dies for craftsman and rigid tools. i mostly do the cad/cam stuff on the 'puter, but i operate machines too. i'm into bikes, painting, music in all forms, enebriation in many forms, and i also LEGALLY road race and autocross my honda civic. (though it it motorless at the moment...)

i mostly ride my brakeless 48x16 iro jamie roy fixie, but i also have an old peugeot brakeless 48x16 fixie with inverted moustache bars, an old ross with shimano 600 5 speed group, and a j.c. higgins cruiser. i'm also into downhill/freeride sort of mountain biking. i have a spare parts **** mountain bike that was a ss until just recently. i now am running a 105 rear derailleur and 7 speed cassette. i'm starting to race track this season. xcutterx is lending me his matsuri track bike until i get the money for a custom ground up track frame and fork.

i'm steve in madison, wi.
work for a software company programming and doing a bit of technical writing (a place and a job that i'd like to put behind me...anyone hiring?)

i'm a year-round commuter and ride just about everywhere else (i only seem to drive these days to put the canoe in the river).

2 fixies, 4 ss, and one 3spd (as well as numerous potential "projects" hanging in the rafters).

I'm Scott and I do telephone tech support (hardware, database and network) for a software company in Opelika, AL. I moved here from Charlotte, NC about 5 years ago. Opelika is very near Auburn University, which has a collegiate cycling team and I train on the road with them some. There's many other fine older riders in this area too, which was a pleasant surprise. I'm 43.

I built my first fixed gear bike from a celeste Bianchi road bike about two months ago. At first, I didn't see what all of the fuss was about and said so in a post. After logging some miles on it I get it now.

Richmond, Virginia, by way of Stockport UK, Berlin NH, Charlottesville VA, Beloit WI and a few others I forget.

Ride a variety of bikes; fixed are a 1973 Peugeot UO10 and a 1973 Peugeot PX10E. The remainder run from a 1967 PX10 to a Surly. Year round commuter; more of a classics guy, really, but I watch this board for the fireworks and general amusement value. Draw cartoons for a living.

I'm an architect-in-training in downtown Denver (Capitol Hill). Been here since last fall. I guess i'm unintentionally an American Nomad. Working backwards: Three years in New Haven, CT; three years in Chicago; two years in upstate New York;ten years off and on in Anchorage, Alaska. Been riding fixed/SS a little over a year, to the exclusion of my other bikes. I've got a krylon sky blue Shogun fixie with red tires and black bullhorns that I ride everywhere and for everything--work commute, grocery, fun, anger, meditation, pub crawling. I did recently acquire a De Bernardi track frame that I am hoping to build up nice once I repaint it. I know a few other fixed riders here, and I'm always happy to talk bikes/life with whomever.

Sorry to the rest of the people for the following tangent, but...


Oh, and Evan, I guess I am "31337"
(content is unaltered, emphasis mine)

Merz is commenting in reference to a part of my original message that I posted in white font so that it would be "invisible" against the white background.

Does Safari (or whatever browser you used) show it to you? Mozilla/firefox hides it unless it is highlighted. I'm not sure about IE.

Alright. I've been reading these boards for about a year now, and this thread finally made me register. Here goes:

My name is David. I live in NYC. I'm a post-bachelor student at NYU taking science classes so I can go to med school. I've been riding fixed every day in the city for about 4 months. I ride a bianchi pista with a custom white-with-red-trim electrical taped body, chopped and flipped drop bars, and a brand new brake which I put on this week after getting hit by a car on friday and saturday (both not my fault and both preventable if I'd've had a brake).

Sorry to the rest of the people for the following tangent, but...



Merz is commenting in reference to a part of my original message that I posted in white font so that it would be "invisible" against the white background.

Does Safari (or whatever browser you used) show it to you? Mozilla/firefox hides it unless it is highlighted. I'm not sure about IE.

It showed up when I quoted your message..

Alright. I've been reading these boards for about a year now, and this thread finally made me register. Here goes:

My name is David. I live in NYC. I'm a post-bachelor student at NYU taking science classes so I can go to med school. I've been riding fixed every day in the city for about 4 months. I ride a bianchi pista with a custom white-with-red-trim electrical taped body, chopped and flipped drop bars, and a brand new brake which I put on this week after getting hit by a car on friday and saturday (both not my fault and both preventable if I'd've had a brake).


Damn dude, hope u an ur bike are ok. Good call on the brake, i have a front and even though i never use it, it's not coming off.

j from norfolk, va here. right now, i'm a part-time antique shop lackey/fixit guy, and occasional student when i have money to pay for a class at the one of the local colleges. i'm one of only two fixie riders in this town, all the punkrock/hc/emo hipster types here ride bmx bikes when they're not driving daddy's suv. anyway, i ride a 90's Cannondale track with a full Suntour group, which will be rebuilt with a Dura-Ace 10mm/EX group once i get my hands on the correct headset.

Here I am at 1:53 in the morning, appreciating a fine PBR 24 and reading through the posts. Not only am I touched that I received so large a response, but I think its great that there are so many different spreads of life contained therein.

From someone in their late 40's on a fix for the first time, to the messers and posenguers in their early 20's, I truly learn to appreciate the diversity of our obsession, yet the at the same time see the wonderful connection that it brings.

At one time I used to get excited about any fellow cyclist out there, but now the prospect of a fixie on the street with me just touches a special place in my heart, regardless of their social status.

So thanks, keep it up, and all you PDX guys that I know are lurking - Post something! I need some riding and drinking buddies who share the obsession.

1G1G,

Petros

I guess all you chicago cats all ready know each other. I've been lurking around for awhile so I guess it's about time I properly introduce myself...

I'm Val, absentr knows me and I think I know cyclorat, live on the south side, am technically in grad school but find myself easily diverted by my musical interests and various associated gigs I get myself into and my bike addiction.

I maintain a small bike corral in my apartment, two of which are fixed. I've been riding, almost exclusively, my '77 red raleigh running 52x15 because I like to go faaast and fly by all the roadies on their souped up $$$ geared bikes. I really feel connected to that bike, sort of like an old friend you can always call on because you know they will be there for you. I know that sounds really lame but it's true and I'm sure some or most of you can relate. Anyway, I also have a steamroller which I got smashed on a few months ago by a car on milwaukee ave. I'm lacking funds and still have a few things to fix on that bike. Other than that I have a few frames lying around in various states of assembly/disassembly, I have a few geared bikes which really don't need mention except my eddy merckx steel lugged road bike which is really sweet for any sort of situation when gears are required.

I can't be the only girl here...?