The hatin' circle. PS-- I've been ridin' fixed for YEARS.
Here's a cliche that shows up in forums everywhere. The Craigslist forums and Livejournal, particularly, although lately it seems to be dying out. It ususally goes something like this:
"What's with all these hipster dorks tryin' to look cool with their Chrome bags and Bianchi Pistas? Man, these kids don't know how to really ride. They should just go back home and play video games. Oh, you're so cool because you don't have brakes,...hipster dorks...hipster...I've been riding fixed for YEARS, long before they came along..."
Then there's about a dozen identical comments under that:
"+1 Yeah, I went to this bar last night and there were about a thousand of 'em there. I left after 3 minutes."
"True dat. They were probably drinking PBR, too. Annoying hipsters. I'VE been riding fixed for YEARS."
There are usually a few more comments like this. And then, someone comes along and says something like:
"Hey, c'mon everyone. What does "hipster" mean, anyway? Who really cares what kind of bike you ride. Just get on it and go! What are you all hatin' for? PS--I've been riding fixed gear for YEARS."
And then a dozen identical comments under THAT:
"+1 Yeah, you can control your speed so much better on a fixie, and there's no shifters to worry about! And it's better in the rain. I ride fixed because I like it. But if you don't want to, that's cool, too. Who cares!"
"True dat. I'm always passing people when I ride my fixie! Even up hills! But that's cool if you don't like 'em."
"Seconded. If it's not fixed, it's broke. Steel is real. But I'm sick of all these annoying hipsters. I'VE been riding fixed for YEARS."
Then the thread disappears for a while, and an identical one shows up a few weeks later. Do a search (ha) for "hipster" in the Cragslist forum "Transit" section. There are a million of these. All the same. Oy.
ps. I've been riding fixed for years.
Last edited by lancekagar; 12-02-06 at 12:55 PM.