Originally Posted by
psirue
ok.
so the whole freestyle fixed gear trick thing has been going on for a few years. there are countless videos online, several full-length dvds, blogs, messageboards, trick-specific components, and all the accompanying fashion and posing that comes with any youth trend.
as someone that grew up skating, I can spot a decent trick. And I know the difference between something that is hard to do and something that people actually want to watch - I can play a mean game of jenga when I'm stoned and build up a tower of blocks as high as the ceiling, but who cares? I'm not about to start a blog and a youtube channel documenting my jenga skillz and set up a website that sells jenga-gloves with a colorway designed by shepard fairey. likewise, I like to pop a wheelie and ride backwards as much as the next guy, but I'm not about to pretend it's anything more than just having fun.
I have yet to be impressed by anything done on a fixed gear bike within the realm of tricks. BMX and trials, on the other hand, are both often utterly amazing.
Fixed-gear freestyle, thus far and in my opinion, is a total self-congratulatory snoozefest. People feel the need to document their "sessions" all over the internet as if something cool was happening. Perhaps I am wrong in my belief that this sport has no future and no potential...
so, show me what's impressive. change my opinion. let's see a video of something that can match skateboarding, bmx, or trials. maybe I've been watching the wrong videos.
As a lifelong BMX flatlander, I really don't have a problem with fixed gear riders trying tricks, but I just don't see the point. Fixed gear bikes, unless set up like artistic bikes, are HORRIBLE for trick riding - and even the artistic bikes are real difficult (and limited) to ride. The geometry is horrible and the welds/construction is not meant to take trick abuse. BUY A BMX BIKE. You would like it much more and you would be able to do a lot more.
I especially don't understand n00bies getting into fixed gears for trick riding alone. If you want to learn flatland, there are better choices out there.
BMX'ers are baffled and we spend a lot of time *facepalm* with all the crap FG riders and companies are doing to try and make these bikes trick worthy. Potts mod stems, headtube extenders, pegs, etc. - it's all very ridiculous when the BMX industry has tried and true technologies and geometry set-ups to make trick riding more efficient. Believe me, in the 80's and 90's we hurt ourselves immensely weeding out the crap.
As far as the tricks go... we were doing these same tricks when we were 12! Trackstands, ground tailwhips, wheelies, riding backwards, etc. were/are very basic, basic, basic BMX tricks for us kids BITD. However, get a group of FG riders and somebody does an endo or a wheelie, the whole crowd is, like, "WHOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAA!!!"
Everytime we hold a flatland session, FG riders seem to gather and do tricks near us - but never talk to us. Almost like they're trying to battle us (???), but we are just confused why anybody would want to trick ride a FG and not trade that in for a BMX bike. Sometimes we just mimick their tricks and get a giggle. Or we'll do a FG style trick and link it to an advanced flatland BMX trick for fun.
Like I said, it's whatever floats your rocket... but seriously, buy a BMX bike with flatland geometry, visit
www.global-flat.com and get real trick riding. Doing tricks on a FG is like trying to ride a floor dolly like a skateboard. I guess you can do it, but you won't get very far. In that example, I would suggest you buy a skateboard.