Originally Posted by kaiju-velo

1) The great irony is that messengers carry around stuff for . . . corporate law firms. How punk is that?
I don't care if you are rockin a SOMEC lugged track bike with Sugino 75s--if you are carrying a deposition or a court filing for a big-XXX law-firm then you are serving their ends. So your uber-hip niche actually never was that.

2) I agree vaguely with the sentiment behind this--or perhaps my interpretation of it. By commodifying fixed gear culture you can buy the experience of being alternative without actually changing your life in a meaningful way. The problem with capitalism is that it can transform it's opposite into a commodity and then make money off of the fantasy of resistance.

3) However--in the long run maybe the fixie craze will coincide with rising oil prices in a meaningul way--people will realize they can use their bikes for transportation and it will be--gasp--fun! That's an outcome anyone who actually endorses positive change should like. So sorry if your niche that made you feel special got blown wide open--welcome to seeing more people on bikes.

4) The paradox and truth about fixies becoming as mainstream as any other bike is that cycling as serious transportation is not mainstream enough!


That said a Surly Steamroller complete is a sick bike I wish I had one. I'm quite happy however with my SOMA Rush with Soma rims/hubs/no-name cogs and Bontrager bullhorns. I ride whenever I can especially when a car would be more convenient--