lfw

I've never been a bike messenger nor have I played one on the Internet. I'm a SS/FG devotee, but I really don't understand why anyone who makes their living riding a bike in city traffic all day would want to do it on a brakeless fixed gear. If I were doing this daily, I would probably use a fixed gear too, but with both front and rear brakes. I would gear the bike on the low end. This would give max control of the bike (if you are skidding you ain't stopping), and not put so much wear and tear on your knees. I'm coming at this as a geezer who has been riding a bike for 61 years. I was off the bike from '92-'98 with palellar tendonitis. That weren't no fun, boys.

Aged Bike Fixer

Back when I started biking, there was no such thing as a downhill. You kids have it easy.

...and I've never been a bike messenger.

seau grateau

Gears and brakes are for old people?

ADSR

I like to think if I were a messenger it would be on a rigid, geared mountain bike with slicks.

Metzinger

If I were a messenger, I would ride a fixie... unicycle.
With spoke cards.
And jet propulsion.
On a road made of candy and chocolate.

Is that so hard to understand?

redmist

no wonder most people think fixed gear riders are idiots.

hairnet

Wut, brakes and gears?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj1-218EnvY

the_don

I don't get why people want to be messengers, they are a bunch of losers!

well done on achieving being able to get a document from A-B, whilst making pittance and going home to their crappy apartments to get drunk on cheap beer because they can't afford to do anything because they spend all the cash they do get on njs and boutique messenger bags and clothes.

Real messengers (the one's not in it for the lifestyle) are just a bunch of people with no qualifications, who can take the subway somewhere or ride a moped or something.

elTwitcho

A lot of the courriers in Toronto I've seen use brakes. Not all of them are on fixed gear bikes either.

Wow, read bikesnobnyc to get all your opinions and never actually meet a bike messenger much? Or is it some kind of deep seated resentment because you've got this complex about you thinking they're cooler than you?

99% of the courriers I've rode with are cool people who are passionate about bikes. You're just a dick.

the_don

Hey man, sorry, but earning no money is not a career. You ain't gonna go pro, there are no sweet advertising deals to sign. I am not saying the people aren't cool, just that in my opinion. It's a bunch of losers who become messengers. There is also a difference between, having a messenger job for a short while because you are at uni or something, but being a messenger, you aren't going to to go anywhere in the world.

At least with skateboarding you have a chance of getting signed, doing competitions and making big money (as with many other sports).

Do you understand what I am saying?

I knew expressing my opinions would get me in trouble again!

elTwitcho

Determining someone's merit or worth (calling them a "loser") based on their financial prospects is a hollow and pointless existence IMO. I would guess that makes artists, social workers, writers, musicians, professional cyclists and the like "losers" as well, and the 45 year old accountant who hates his job, takes medications for his blood pressure, his obesity, his stress and a bit of xanax just tot ake the edge off being alive is a "winner".

I think your priorities suck. Anyone who can say without reservations that they get a lot of satisfaction from their life rather than having to say "... but it's stable" or "... but it pays the bills" is better off than some consumer drone working a "respectable" job that they hate.

the_don

accountant?? no way, but an investment banker? yes. there is also a difference between doing work for altruistic reasons, musicians also want to make it big, and have goals and creativity and passion. In what way is that similar to riding your expensive bike around town taking documents places? But when you get a family, have children to feed and clothe and fund, making money becomes top priority. You gotta pay them bills.

It reminds me of family guy when Peter said his relative was a philospher, with the wife holding a baby saying, just get a job, with his reply "BUT, Why????"

Brian

I get what the_don is saying. It's not like someone's obit will list them as "retired bike messenger". But it's fine if you never want to own your own place, maybe raise some kids, and retire.

Metzinger

As I see it, the don is saying that respectability flows from wealth.
And that responsible people breed.
A lot of people think this.

But can we get back on topic? Old people don't understand the youth of today.
Oh. I finally got the joke. The don is mimicking the OP to be funny.
Well done. Much more subtle than my earlier absurdism.

elTwitcho

An investment banker? I think that's about as low on the spectrum of horrible jobs I can think of (short of sweat shop labor) so our priorities are clearly different. I'm talking about that for me (and a lot of other people) the promise of what you will be compensated for your job is more or less meaningless weighed against how much you will enjoy working that job. Better to enjoy the majority of your waking life than work a crappy job to pay for your speedboat that will grant you 30 hours of enjoyment per year out of the thousands of hours working a job that sucks.

As for altruism or utility to society, an investment banker produces no product or useful services and brings no benefit to anyone other than other investment bankers. The day of finance being used to promote the production of goods and services has been replaced mostly by finance as it's own insulated world of money backed by no real assets for at least a decade. From a societal utility point of view, they're worthless.

kergin

The bikes I see ridden by messengers in downtown Toronto are all over the place. It seems to come down to a few critical points: 1) what can you afford? b) what can you afford to lose? c) is it comfortable? There are lots and lots of guys that make it around on old hybrids and rigid mountain bikes. Almost none ride high end bikes, and that makes sense. Why would you wear on a nice bike for a job that can't really pay for the resulting maintenance?

redmist

money = worth.

capitalist pig!

queerpunk

Most messengers I know don't ride brakeless fixed gears for work.

Don't be a jerk. I know plenty of people who do it because they like it. Yeah, it can be frustrating, and it's not the best job in the world, but you're making some really raw blanket statements about people based on the line of work that they're doing, and then you're turning around and hiding behind "oh golly, people don't like when I express my opinion!"

Retro Grouch 

On the other hand, there weren't any uphills either because the earth was still flat.

clutchy

Pedex might disagree w/ not doing so well as a messenger.

funurdiesel

+1
Excellent post.

riot2003

this....
minus the negativity. lol.

PedallingATX

I'm not making any judgments about messengers themselves, but I will say this: being a messenger is one bad gig. It is an underpaid, risky, physically taxing, and thankless job.

bionnaki

...and your experience with being a messenger is? I didnt realize they had messengers in texas.

jtgotsjets

From what I understand, the percentage of messengers that ride brakeless track bikes is actually pretty small. It's just that they're the most hipster-y so people started doing that. Most messengers ride way more practical bikes, but practical != cool.

Also, the_don is totally being a dick.