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It stands as if it were the greyhound of the bicycle world, tall, thin and tauntingly sleek. The smooth lines of its frame’s extremities point up to a tiny seat and two, short handlebars placed low. When in motion, the thin wheels move rapidly with precision as the pedals, complete with foot locks, follow round and round in unison with the hard working chain. “The chain is your life,” says Dirk Dijkhuis, “if it breaks, you die.”
The chain of a fixed-gear bike is the only thing that holds the single-speed bicycle together, and keeps the rider safe. While they may be more dangerous than ordinary bikes, fixed-gears or ‘fixies’ allow for a tighter, more controlled ride. Due to their swiftness, downhill peddling for example requires a rider’s full attention and participation. Perhaps that’s the appeal of it.
Since 2000, the world has seen a gradual increase in the number of fixie street riders. The recent rise of Barcelona’s own bike-friendliness – it went from 10th to 8th in published polls for the most bike friendly cities in the world – has further encouraged the popularity of fixies in the city. Once solely used for road race training and track cycling in the velodrome (a steep racing track), fixie bikes have slowly made their way onto city streets thanks to bicycle messengers.
With the growing popularity, the fixie community has split into different sub-groups. There are those who use the bikes as a straightforward mode of transport and others who see the bikes as a form of artistry. On a broader level, these groups tend to reflect two distinct life philosophies: one of ‘simple living’ and the other, a more expressive, loud life, where everything is a blank canvas used for showing off a personality.
The fixie phenomenon and the different philosophies of its fans showed up at my door just a few months ago. Entering my apartment one fall day, five fixie bikes rest against the wall and a group of young men are glued to the TV in complete silence— besides the occasional wows and gasps. The guys are in a trance as they watch the fixie film MASH, released back in November 2007 by Matt Transit Productions. The video features fixie riders in San Francisco, riding through the hilly streets with force and skill, even pulling off some impressive tricks. Ranging from messenger cyclists on plain, worn-in fixies to bike lovers on neon yellow and bright pink bikes, the video shows the two worlds of the fixie community sideby- side in a truly awe-inspiring way. So impressed with the video, the boys jump on their bikes and cycle around the apartment attempting dangerous stunts in uproarious laughter, while blasting Metallica.
1/29/10 2:14 PM
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