I got talking to this cat who dropped a package off at the building I'm working at this week (609 Greenwhich). He runs 52-14, with no brakes [I]or[I] straps!
All I could say was "you sir, are better a rider than me"
He was mad cool too.

You don't have to be a good rider to be a moron.

Did he have long blonde hair, a black leather jacket and pink leg warmers?

was he climbing teh corporate ladder?

nope. jeans, fleece jacket, wouldn't have even guessed he rode a bike at first.

YES!

Normally I'd agree with you, but I got the impression this dude has been in the streets for a long time. He's probably about forty, so I'd guess he's been running that set up for fifteen years or so.

Being a moron for a long time without wising up makes you even more of a moron.

MMM....I see your point years of experience, and skill don't really add up to anything. You're right.

normally, i'd just automatically disagree with dutret, but he's 100% right on this one. was this in nyc? (question based on the address)

yup. I'm not planning on dropping my straps cuz of this guy. But he's gotta have skills to have made it this long.

His jeans were ripped apart like the Hulk's because of his huge thighs, right? You would have to be hella strong to run 52x14 brakeless on the street.

Tonight I'm going 65x13 and taking the pedals off my bike. I'll just push on the cranks! Booyah!

Even assuming he has "made it this long" AND he wasn't just ****ing with you for fun. It doesn't really take skill. Stupidity, pigheadedness, willingness to be slow and strength wouldn't hurt but skill is not a requirement.

Twas Kevin Bacon.

Well he wasn't f'in with me because i saw the bike, and I can vouch for a setup most would consider suicidal. And here's where you are wrong, to be able to ride that bike, nay make a living on it in new york traffic, requires a lot of skill as a rider.

Or a lot of luck and ego pumping from people who think so.

so this guy is skilled at doing something stupid, which possibly nullifies it's stupidity in terms of safety, but not in terms of practicality or the integrity of his knees. good for him. he is officially a show off.

has anyone considered the fact that this guy was probably riding what ever he could afford or get his hands on. Most (i'd say 75-85%) of messengers in nyc are not pretty white boys with shiny new track bikes. They are poverty stricken minorities who will ride anything they can to make that buck. The fact that this is even being debated amongst you all only perpetuates the ignorance that exists concerning what a NYC bike messenger is. Alot of guys don't do this job because its fun, they do it because its the only way they have found to scrape a meager paycheck together.

if you bought a fixed gear bike, and had been riding it for "a long time", at one point or another you could've bought a different size cog and some straps if you cared to.

Even people just barely scraping by should have the sense to trade the 52 ring for a 45.

MAYBE he rides very slowly on streets that he's comfortable riding that setup on. I don't think the guy's a moron by any sense. Plenty of drivers think we're all morons for riding a bike on the road.

Are you really suggesting that a 52/14 brakeless fixed gear was the easiest or cheapest bike for him to get his hands on? It seems like the extra speed and lack of injury would pay for a 20t cog or a brake in just a few weeks.

i can't believe that people are arguing about this...

I once had a crush on the UPS lady. She wore her brown shorts jeeeest right.