Urban fixie vs road culture question
08-08-21, 09:21 PM
#1
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Urban fixie vs road culture question
I picked up road cycling earlier this year and I've been watching a lot of cycling videos on YouTube as well.
I noticed that there are some videos such as these "Terry Barenstein hotline" videos. I cannot post the links because my account is too new, but go to youtube and search:
"FIXED GEAR Mexico City 🇲🇽 —Ana Puga"
"FIXED GEAR NYC 🇺🇸 aka: RoughCut: "HotLine—Cooper Ray"
by uploader Terry Barensten.
Where people are basically just continuously riding through traffic, running all red lights, stop signs, cutting people off, and otherwise basically never stopping for any reason.
I live in a suburb and mostly "regular" road cyclists here, rather than fixed gear riders. I never see any of this type of thing around here, so I'm guessing that it is some type of urban culture? I mean, I'll see folks occasionally run a red or stop when nobody is coming, but nothing like this. Could somebody fill me in? Does this style of fixed-gear riding have a name?
I noticed that there are some videos such as these "Terry Barenstein hotline" videos. I cannot post the links because my account is too new, but go to youtube and search:
"FIXED GEAR Mexico City 🇲🇽 —Ana Puga"
"FIXED GEAR NYC 🇺🇸 aka: RoughCut: "HotLine—Cooper Ray"
by uploader Terry Barensten.
Where people are basically just continuously riding through traffic, running all red lights, stop signs, cutting people off, and otherwise basically never stopping for any reason.
I live in a suburb and mostly "regular" road cyclists here, rather than fixed gear riders. I never see any of this type of thing around here, so I'm guessing that it is some type of urban culture? I mean, I'll see folks occasionally run a red or stop when nobody is coming, but nothing like this. Could somebody fill me in? Does this style of fixed-gear riding have a name?
08-08-21, 11:06 PM
#2
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See also: alleycat races, FGFS, the movie Premium Rush, Kevin "Squid" Bolger, Cog magazine, Fixed Mag, etc.
Last edited by Rolla; 08-08-21 at 11:09 PM.
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08-09-21, 02:27 AM
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The bike I ride the most is my Wabi single speed and I take it on regular rides like on any road bike. Road geometry, drop bars, proper brakes, ect. These city boy fixie riders are an embarrassment. They're more about the hipster or whatever you want to call it lifestyle. They aren't impressed by riding 100 miles, they care about doing wheelies and sliding their rear tire. That was me when I was 8 years old. How anyone would think it's a good idea to weave through traffic pissing off everyone and brake by flat spotting your rear tire is beyond me.
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08-09-21, 02:47 AM
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08-09-21, 06:35 AM
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We dismiss this type of behavior from cyclists as immature and reckless. We "tut tut", pat them on the head, and go on with our lives.
If someone does this same thing with a motor vehicle, we shoot to kill...
If someone does this same thing with a motor vehicle, we shoot to kill...
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08-09-21, 06:39 AM
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Urban youth. Its a scene.
08-09-21, 06:54 AM
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08-09-21, 07:05 AM
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NSFW
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08-09-21, 07:11 PM
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Huh in the title you got it wrong but the videos you list you got it right? It is Fixed Gear. Some kids like to run lights all the time and stuff like that some don't.
08-10-21, 07:15 AM
#11
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I lived and biked in NYC for 10 years. I'm certainly no daredevil and not really into blowing through busy intersections and red lights. But in a city like that you need to ride somewhat aggressively and offensively because there's a lot of **** going on and people don't care about you. Admittedly the urban fixie riding is somewhat extreme and pretty much a sport but I don't think it came about just because people like to be *******s. I'm guessing it was a natural progression of the way messengers et al need to ride to survive in the city.
08-10-21, 01:50 PM
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Why be concerned with what others deem to be acceptable behavior? Use some common sense and don't give cyclists a bad name.
