Ok, everyone stand in a line. I just bought this sweet label-printer, and I'm going to issue one to each of you. Wear your label plainly on your forehead so I know how to treat you when I see you, k? It will make things much easier.

peace,
sam

P.S. Beer = Good. Good Beer > PBR. Hence, good beer is better than PBR, but PBR is still good.

I was told all poseurs have white hair and blue skin.

you forgot the torn dickies, minimum wage job, and snobby attitude

Well, my rolled up pants are dickies (usually); I'm a TA (teaching assistant) which, while not technically minimum wage actually amounts to less, in large part due to the 37 papers staring in my face right now demanding grading; my previous job was a shade above minimum wage, but i worked there for 5 and a half years, so i deserved some sort of raise; i'm still not a snob ... i guess you got me on that one. Dammit!

And it's true that all beer is good, because of its inherent beer-ness. But I still prefer beer that tastes good. PBR would do over nothing, or Bud. Otherwise, pass me another Creemore...

If I ever look like, eat like, and drink like everybody else... please shoot me.
The world has enough culture clones.

Interesting questions Gonesh, but it seems that the first law of fixie club is you don't talk about fixie club.

As someone who lived in Portland for a good amount of time and rode a fix almost exclusively while there, I can see where you get your generalizations. It tends that to be that people in Portland who ride bikes do so for many reasons; many are healthy, socially and environmentally conscious people.

Vegetarianism tends to be popular among a certain sect of health-conscious persons, but is also facilitated by the farmer's markets and vegan/veggie friendly stores and restaurants. Plus there is a lot of vegetarian foods that taste great.

Many people who ride bikes in Portland do so for transportation as well as fun and enjoyment. This leads us to wear street clothes while riding, thus we can participate in normal daily functions without looking silly and also have pockets for functionality. Commuting is huge there and a great way to connect with your bike; last year I drove my car 3 times. It rains and/or is cold frequently so pants are nice; rolling them up is a free and easy way to keep them from getting eaten by your drivetrain. Another interesting note: I have seen more bikes with full-coverage fenders in Portland than anywhere else. People here actually ride and are serious about it.

Why do you listen to Indie and Klezmer music? Could be that the music scene is excellent in Portland, but it is also possible that your tastes change and expand as you grow.

Beer. This is an interesting situation. I love microbrews with a passion, but it seems that on the occasions that I have gone on booze-cruises with a fixed group we end up drinking a lot of PBR. Tallboys come in at $1.25 and many places have $.75 pints, which of course facilitates your ability to afford more of it. you get 4 tallboys because there is a $5 minimum on debit cards, but then you cash out because you think you should stop. Then you decide you need one more, but have to buy 4 again because it is a $5 minimum. Repeat. On the other hand, I have been at the Lucky Lab with a group of riders and exhausted quite a few pitchers of excellent brew. I'll be back in town from the 21st to the 25th if you want to grab a brew - chances are I have ridden with you before, or played bike polo, or .....

I have found that if anything, we from Portland take microbrews for granted. I recently moved to SoCal; which is a terrible location for just about anything. The only reason I came was to take a great job in the cycling industry. Turns out, there are no bars where I am and NO microbrews. I am actually scared to ride in traffic because the SUV-driving suburban populous is absolutely insane. I'll take rush hour down Burnside with a stop at Stumptown anyday.

Why is it that you share these similarities with other fixed riders? People with one common interest tend to share others, and other large cities breed similar biking culture. I.e. Seattle, Chicago, Philly, D.C., Boston, San Francisco, etc. The fixed gear is the tie that binds us together.

Regardless, you are riding a fixed bike so you are part of the ever-evolving fixed culture. You should take pride in that.

-Pete

I'm sorry, but I'm gonna be a poseur and buy these... https://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/1492427/c/19887.html they look cool and I have to have them.

Those look pretty battlestar galactica. You should have a vocoder installed in your throat to really wear those properly.

Speaking of beer, and I write this from memory, in the original The Book Of Lists
By David Wallechinsky & Amy Wallace, they conducted a beer tasting survey in order to determine the best beer in the world.

Now, before I go any further, I say again I write this from memory, and I may have wrongly attributed the following survey.
Nonetheless, someone credible did it if not David Wallechinsky and Amy Wallace.

So, they conducted this beer survey in Washington D.C. because they thought it would give them access to the most internationally diverse of beer drinkers.
They divided the beers into two groups: dark and lager.
They thought the two different enough that it would invalidate the survey to compare them head to head.

They set up a tent on, I think, the Mall in front of the White House, between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.
They served free beer for several days.
In order to get a free beer, a person had to actually take two beers and compare them.
David and Amy only wanted to know which of the two uindentified beers the drinker preferred.
Heineken won the best dark beer award and, surprise of surprises, the cheapest beer sold in America won the lager award - Old Milwaukee.

Incidentally, Old Milwaukee won again, last year; this time for Best American-Style Lager, at the Great American Beer Festival, held every October in Denver, CO.

I don't drink any longer.
I have a problem with alcohol, and so I haven't had a drink in 22 years.
But when I did drink, I kept Old Milwaukee in business.

I have a lot curiosity about the microbrews.
Maybe after I retire, if I ever do, I'll give them a try.

Who cares if you're a "poseur" or not. It's all good, IMO.

My bike: Centurion Accordo purchased new in 1987 converted to fixed gear 42x16, mostly because of the steep hills in my town. I really don't care what anybody thinks about the fact that I have both front and rear brakes. I know of three other fixed-gear Centurions in my small city of 78,000.

RFM

Even messengers *****.

i'm happy on a bike. i'm happier on my fixed gear, but i enjoy any riding, and base a lot of other decisions on the fact i like to ride. i'm a fixie commuter who happens to have "posenger gear" cause it is damn useful.

i'll admit, i check out other people's bikes. i appreciate all (most) of them. when i see a roadbike i check out their chain tension as it's being pedaled, what gear they're running, all that geeky stuff. when i see a fixie or mountainbike, i check them out by whatever criteria i've got for them...

i love life riding, and if you are too, namaste. forget that other *****.

Rarely drink anymore, but can hardly resist a Chocolate Stout.
Getting psyched to commute - Fixed - here in SoCal among the essyouvees before petrol hits $4/gal.
Been quietly workin' out on a Gan Well Pro, looking to build up a commuter for the 12 mile work commute.
It just aint been the same since West Ham got relegated.

Say, isn't it spelled, "Ganesh"? And did we meet in Japan, early '90's? Maybe not, as you didn't mention Garcia... if you don't fess up, you Are a Poseur.

wow! excellent vibe here y'alls.

SSenorPedro- nice outlook. thanks



yeah, the elephant headed god is named ganesh- but cheesily, out of respect i spell it differently for my name here. and no, i don't remember being in japan, but i guess it's a possibility...i did once have a remarkable experience associated with garcia.

the fixie scene in london is pretty tight knit from what ive heard, but up here in the north, its nice. i has intimidated by couriers before i worked with them, now i know that just about anyone could go chat to them. they are really some of the most friendlyist people i know.
on the poseur issue, hardly anyone rides fixed exept couriers here. there are a few others, and of course, some people are dicks. but these people would be dicks whatever the rode, or did.

I'm of sound mind to say who the **** cares. Drink what you want. If you go drinking with me I'll laugh at you when your order a PBR, and offer to fill your beer for free in about 15 min. But it don't mean I don't disrespect you.

Dress how you want, shoot I wear clothes that don't match, I don't care what people think. I find myself fittingin with rednecks, jocks, nerds (geeks), etc...the whole damn spectrum.

Ride what you want, a bikes a bike. If your riding a bike I'll still smile and wave (I'm a tri guy not a roadie guy, tri people are much nicer).

In the end its not about what group you assosiate with, its about how you played the game. If your happy then whats to worry about, be a poseur, be a sitter, be a stander I don't care.

Ride your bike and smile

messenger=poseposenger

seriously though, who gives a flying f*ck in this day and age? I mean when even the term "hipster" implies inherent unhipness (since everyone recognizes you as a stereotype [which isnt cool right?]). maybe poser is the new hip, until tomorrow, or was it yesterday?

I like this pic. Jesus in the time i wrote my post 6 people posted. OK, if it's 7 am and ur posting you are a poser!

Oh crap.

Oh, speaking of hipster-- i saw donovon in concert the other day touring with john melancamp. I love his stuff-- damn near misted up when he sang hurdy gurdy man and atlantis.

7am posting is f-ing HARDCORE!

if 7am is hardcore....5am posting while smoking a joint...must be off the charts...

laughing so hard i spilled my yoohoo.
"Not your ordinary hipster...."

werd. the breakfast of champions.

That's good...nothing can ruin your day more then getting your hair stuck in your chainring (except maybe getting your twig & berries caught in there)!

I just realised that my favorite pair of cut-offs do in fact have pleats. I can't find the thread in which this disturbing development would be considered pertinent, so I'll leave it here. There was a scooter rally here in town last night, my inner-light has been somewhat dimmed. Actually it's probably just a little bit of red shift.

...nothing to do with the scooters by the way.