Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Is the fixed gear scene dead?

I got into the whole fixie thing pretty early on, rode like hell for awhile and loved it. Unfortunately, It didn't seem to take much time before it turned into a bastardization of itself and more of a fashion statement than anything. More and more fixie riders started popping up with their skinny jeans and colored deep v's. Pretty soon "fixie" was synonymous with "hipster". Now, I'm certainly no purist and could generally care less about what people do with their bikes, but eventually something I really loved for its simplicity was now almost like a watch for pair of sunglasses.

I bought myself a nice road bike with gears and a freewheel, then a mountain bike, then another one, and never really looked back. Even the scene in San Francisco (home of mash, macaframa, and the like) seems to have shifted from the trendy fixed gear to the more practical multi-geared road bike.

So, that begs the question: is the fixed gear bicycle really just a slowly dying fad?

I bought my Schwinn Madison for the simplicity, durability, maintenance, and value. I don't really care if they are popular or not. Or if any "scene" is dying. I'm no hipster.

i'm a huge hipster and i love my deathbike regardless of how dead this scene is.

it's been dead for a while, btw.

There is a scene ?

Guess I have been too busy riding my bikes to notice or care.

Come out to Fremont for the alleycat may 7th and see just how dead it is.

I think it certainly has been dead for a good amount of time, but I don't know if I was ever affected and if it's even relevant. It seems like if you enjoy riding the bike that you ride, you're going to keep riding it. In San Francisco there will always be a fixed gear scene.

I'm thinking many of the people that got into fixies because they were/are cool actually fell in love with cycling and started to explore other ways of doing it. I know all kinds of these people that now go on self supported bike tours, bought mountain bikes, or started racing. I don't see fixies fading away here yet

What's a scene?

I was riding everything before I built my first fixed gear and it has always been just another way to enjoy cycling... it has been nice to see some of the guys who cut their teeth on fixed gear bikes start to appreciate other forms of cycling.

Because of health issues I spend more time riding my geared bikes but it is still nice to get out on one of the 3 fixed gear bikes I own and be able to enjoy the ride.

Don't beg the question. Someone around here might get their panties in a twist and try to correct you.

Also, only hipsters care about whether their "scene" is cool or not. Just go ride your bike.

The polka scene is alive and well.

scene is dead i guess. a few of my friends still do a wednesday night ride, but no new faces have shown up in the past year. though i guess on the rare occasion someone new came out they probably got dropped.

The polka scene is alive and well.

thank god.

don't beg the question. Someone around here might get their panties in a twist and try to correct you.

:innocent:

Come out to Fremont for the alleycat may 7th and see just how dead it is.

ever ride hellyer? good fun.

ever ride hellyer? good fun.

Not yet it's on my list of things to get around to. You'll usually find me riding aimlessly around Fremont/Newark area. Seriously though, we're having an alleycat May 7th and the proceeds are being donated to aid japan in their current situation. Click HERE (http://tracknovel.blogspot.com/) for flyer.

I'm no hipster.
hipster

definitely isn't dying in davis. in fact, i've noticed a huge increase in single speeds/fixed gears in the past year. for a city claiming to be the bike capital of the world, it's certainly slow to catch on.

definitely isn't dying in davis. in fact, i've noticed a huge increase in single speeds/fixed gears in the past year. for a city claiming to be the bike capital of the world, it's certainly slow to catch on.

Likewise at san diego.. heck Emi from mash and leader is here LOL

There's an entire gang of guys on leaders here. And a whole bunch of cheapo chinabuilds.

I'm very embarrassed I'm so late to this thread.

Yes, it's dead, move along.

P.S. Please send me your old parts on the way out.

For some people fixed gear is their introduction to cycling since childhood, and some of them are just simply moving on to other disciplines of cycling like road, mountain, BMX, CX etc etc...I don't see it as a fad as people will always ride fixed gears.

It's all good, they're on a bike, right?

years and years ago I got into fixed gears for their simplicity the feel of them and just for the love of bikes I have been in love with cycling since I was a kid.
when fixed gears took off and everyone and their mom had one at first I was miffed as they didn't seem to know how to ride however it made me happy to see other people on bikes
since then the bike polo league in my home town has taken off some have ditched fixed gear for coaster brakes or single speeds others still ride fixed gears as well as dabbling in other sorts of bikes.
I personally love single speed bikes I have several different types to include mountain bikes folding bikes town bikes, I think I have about 8 bikes in my garage right now not including my 2 fixed gears and my new track bike I am building
the bottom line is love bikes ride bikes stop caring about everyone else and the bs of a scene and just enjoy

for a city claiming to be the bike capital of the world, it's certainly slow to catch on.

wait since when is Davis bike capital of the world?

Not yet it's on my list of things to get around to. You'll usually find me riding aimlessly around Fremont/Newark area. Seriously though, we're having an alleycat May 7th and the proceeds are being donated to aid japan in their current situation. Click HERE (http://tracknovel.blogspot.com/) for flyer.

good **** man, i might make it out. liking the area cycles sponsorship. they're right in my neck of the woods, solid shop. almost wish they catered to more than just ss/fg.

seems the consensus is that the whole fg thing was most definitely a fad, but the cycling purists pedal on. solid.


wait since when is Davis bike capital of the world?

don't worry portland, we haven't forgotten about you.

Same thing happened with skateboarding, except it's much, much worse (see: Life of Ryan, Rob and Big, Adio completely dropping their skate team to sell mall shoes, Tony Hawk being a household name, you get the picture). Doesn't phase me.

If you ride a fixed gear bike you're a jackass hipster, and if you skateboard past the age of 15 you're a badass stoner who embodies Bam Margera. I do both every day. Whatevs!

I'd rather ride my bike and go about doing what I do than give even half a damn about what box someone wants to put me in because of it.

Disclaimer: I'm a hipster wannabe but not really so idk what to call myself.

The fixed gear scene is just popping up on my campus. It'd dumb... these kids are 5 years behind the curve and some of them look slightly handicapped when they ride. Regardless, I still love riding my sweet fixayy all over the place. I would love to get my hands on a nice road bike and some sort of mountain bike, but I always find myself drawn to fixed gear and track bikes (btw I hope I can hit up the velodrome near Chi this summer).

shun the nonbeliever~~~ shunnn

shun the nonbeliever~~~ shunnn

+1

when something gets to your town and your town isnt new york city then its already over. theres alittle more to it but thats it in a nutshell.

Being a 40+ dude, and not involved in any "scene", I can tell you it's likely that I'll be riding fixed at 50+. I'm betting, by then, many of you will be rolling in a minivan, with a couple screaming grubs in the back and gut that you have to tuck under your steering wheel.:lol:

If there is a "scene" around here, it is simply urban biking, which runs the gamut of fixie, C&V geared bikes (a few of which are gorgeous), townie-style and utility bikes. And a few roadies sprinkled in. We have regular rides, including bar hops, which include all the groups and everyone just enjoys the company, admires the bikes they like, and tolerates the ones they don't.

Kumbaya, baby.

bikes are a fad, get a job and a car, you hipsters

Being a 40+ dude, and not involved in any "scene", I can tell you it's likely that I'll be riding fixed at 50+. I'm betting, by then, many of you will be rolling in a minivan, with a couple screaming grubs in the back and gut that you have to tuck under your steering wheel.:lol:

Stop scaring the kids.

get a job and a car, you hipsters

I have both, it's very overrated

In the US, it seems that fixed gear interest peaked in 2008 and has been in decline ever since.

http://www.google.com/trends?q=fixed+gear&geo=usa&sa=N

"Road bike", on the other has been comparatively stable since 2004.

http://www.google.com/trends?q=road+bike&ctab=0&geo=us&geor=all&date=all&sort=0

I'm thinking many of the people that got into fixies because they were/are cool actually fell in love with cycling and started to explore other ways of doing it. I know all kinds of these people that now go on self supported bike tours, bought mountain bikes, or started racing. I don't see fixies fading away here yet

This. And the people who ride fixed because they enjoy it will keep riding it. It's a lot like skating, I think. A decade+ ago I think it was pretty similar to how fixies are now. These days the only people who really skate are the ones who actually care about it and enjoy it, not just because of the image or popularity.

If you (the OP) were into fixies because of a "scene" then it figures he/she stopped riding them. I'm glad you found another type of riding you're into. I consider myself a mountain biker primarily because it is the riding I am most passionate about, but I also ride for transportation and on the road (both fixed/ss most often) and race cyclocross. I love riding.

You can always join the Harley scene, and be an individual like everyone else....

There's no such thing as an "individual" in 2011.

I guess I kinda jumped on the fad bandwagon I remember 4 years ago my dad took me a velodrome and tought me what track bikes are, I thought they looked alota fun. but it wasn't until 2 years later when fixies got big then I learned more and got one. Now if it dies I couldn't give two ****s I'm still gonna ride fixed.

how will I sup girls without the scene? They will just think I'm some broke dude who can't afford a car.

:(

i just think of it as another fun way to ride a bike. whether its road, mtb, fixed, they're all enjoyable and i just try to get better at each every year. and its another thing to tinker with

In the US, it seems that fixed gear interest peaked in 2008 and has been in decline ever since.

http://www.google.com/trends?q=fixed+gear&geo=usa&sa=N

"Road bike", on the other has been comparatively stable since 2004.

http://www.google.com/trends?q=road+bike&ctab=0&geo=us&geor=all&date=all&sort=0

Ah, but you forgot that other name:
http://www.google.com/trends?q=fixie&ctab=0&geo=us&geor=all&date=all&sort=0

Ah, but you forgot that other name:
http://www.google.com/trends?q=fixie&ctab=0&geo=us&geor=all&date=all&sort=0

Ugh!

Also, only hipsters care about whether their "scene" is cool or not. Just go ride your bike.

Back in my day we called these people scenesters....

how will I sup girls without the scene? They will just think I'm some broke dude who can't afford a car.

:(

I guess you're just going to learn how to tell a good joke.

Back in my day we called these people scenesters....

lol thanks for the memories

born 2 ride

I'm thinking many of the people that got into fixies because they were/are cool actually fell in love with cycling and started to explore other ways of doing it. I know all kinds of these people that now go on self supported bike tours, bought mountain bikes, or started racing. I don't see fixies fading away here yet

Especially with the kids...(12-13 year olds) that's who I see in my neighborhood getting into fixed gear...