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Normally, I blog only about bikes on fun Fridays, but excuse the break in custom, because today Wired News published my story about growing popularity of fixed gear bikes.
Jim Wirtanen spent 12 years as a bike messenger dodging buses and cabs on the streets of Boston. He earned the name "Deadguy" after being hit by a speeding Lincoln Continental on the third week of the job. The collision threw him 40 feet across an intersection and he hit his head on a light pole.Wirtanen recovered, returned to messaging and for the last 6 years of his career, delivered packages and legal documents using a brakeless, single-speed bike known as a track bike.
Though a bike with no brakes sounds insane to many, Wirtanen swears by it.
"Basically, a track bike is the perfect invention," said Wirtanen, who now works as a mechanic at Harris Cyclery. "You can't make it any better."
Wirtanen is far from alone in embracing the most basic bicycle technology in an age where major bicycle companies focus on the latest in high-tech gear, including full-suspension mountain bikes with SUV-strength disc brakes and ultra-lightweight titanium road bikes with carbon-fiber everything.
Long a favorite of fearless bike couriers, the "fixie" is growing in popularity among young urban American cyclists, who love the bike's pure lines, low price and street cred.
The handsome bikes are everywhere in San Francisco. If you have a good eye, you can even tell who is on one from blocks away by the smoothness of a rider's cadence.
Now, I'm partial to the fixed gear (or fixie), but I don't have one. I have a wheel waiting for the right frame. But I have adopted a single-speed bike, converted from an old Japanese ten-speed found at a thrift store, and turned it into my daily ride. It's simple, its got a fine profile (the lovely red lady gets many compliments), and she keeps me from trying to ride too aggressively.
One of these Fridays, I'll share a photo.
In the meantime, hop over to Wired to read the story and if you want more pictures, try the fixed gear gallery.
And while I'm at it, let me thank all the kind bike folks who took the time to talk to me. This includes Carlos Corujo of Freewheel in San Francisco, Greg Spear over at Pedal Revolution in San Francisco, the guy named Brian who let me take a picture of his Fontana outside Place Pigalle in Hayes Valley, and folks from American Cyclery and KHS Bicycles.
Posted by Ryan Singel at April 7, 2005 02:47 PM
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I'm just another single speed fashion victim riding a Specialized Langster. I love the light weight Al frame and the overall simplicity of the single speed.
But, despite being a competent unicycler (which is the most evolved fixed gear since it even has no chain), I know that I'm not ready for riding a track bike with a fixed gear on city streets. It's frightening enough to ride through DC at all.
Posted by: hudson at April 8, 2005 05:29 AM
Errr, yes, but my mom won't let me ride without at least one brake.
Posted by: fixedgear at April 21, 2005 05:34 PM