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Old 01-03-09, 10:55 AM
  #27  
Dion Rides
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It's funny.

When I'm on my $$$$ CF road bike, I get tons of love from the suburb roadies in my area. They all dress like "freds" but I don't care - I say do what you like as long as you're happy. However, when I ride my fixed gear, which is decked out with brakes and doesn't have a "fashion" item whatsoever on it, I get NO LOVE. I also am decked out in my normal cycling clothing + helmet, so I'm even futher detached from the fashion side of fixed gear riding. It's just a personal preference I don't care if people choose that route.

But it made me realize that the fixed gear has brought about SUCH a fashion/poser crowd with it, many being obnoxious critical mass, beer drinking, ill-fitted bikes, zero safety equipment, lack of respect for the law (via web vids and forums) - it's no wonder why the fixed gear bike and fixed gear riders are in such a "black sheep" section of the cycling community.

Fixed gear riders are not the only ones breaking the laws, etc. we are the ones promoting it.

I take the example of the sportbike stunt riders in the motorcycle community - they are generally despised among the motorcycle sportbike community. They are obnoxious and many are trying to mimmick what they saw in "Biker Boyz": they pose, break laws, speed, remove safety equipment, etc.

It's the attitude that is associated with the bike that gets the hate. The hate goes even further if you choose to not "look" like a serious cyclist.

I know it sucks that this is the way things are, but if you're concerned about the hate, then do something about it. If you like being the "black sheep" of the cycling community, then ride on and let this stuff roll off.