These days though, the main purpose of the fixed gear bike has been as a fashion statement, mostly for the hipster crowd. The craze has taken on in cities such as San Francisco, London and New York, as well as in Portland and Reno.
Riders can customize their rides with an array of different colors and accessories including special handlebars, wheel covers, chain links and even multiple frame colors. Riders can also decorate their bikes using “spoke cards”, which simply is a card placed in the spokes of a bicycle wheel.
They were originally used to identify competitors in a race, but have since become something of a fashion statement along with the bikes themselves. Although the card is fairly hard to read while in motion, it provides a cheap way to label riders in the absence of a proper race number.
The spoke card is placed between the spokes of the rear wheel at the point where they cross each other. A card can be placed in such a way as to make a noise as the card flaps against the spokes, but that is up to the rider.
Many messengers retain spoke cards after events, sometimes accumulating several on the wheel. Many also use tarot cards, baseball cards and even regular playing cards (like for poker) to give their bikes some originality.
A deliveryman I spoke to had multiple business cards of his Chinese restaurant in the spokes, while Daniel the messenger had a baseball card of former Yankee Bernie Williams placed in his. “I played center field when I was in little league, so I naturally loved Bernie growing up when the Yankees won those World Series titles. He’s like a good luck charm.”
Spoke cards can also be used to serve such functions as memorials for fallen messengers, as art, and even for political affiliations. Many riders used them to show off their political views during the 2008 Presidential campaign, many supporting eventual winner Barack Obama.
Walking around Manhattan and Brooklyn it’s not uncommon to see fixed gear bikes chained up to stairways, fences, and parking meters all over. Especially downtown, in places like the Village and SoHo people are always riding around, but of course not ‘coasting’.
Most of the riders look like Eric, a bearded, shaggy haired twenty something that was on his way home from work on a stylish looking fixed gear bike, or Max, a tall guy with dreadlocks, who was riding along the West Side Highway one afternoon on a fresh looking green frame.
“I picked out this one because I really like the frame color,” Eric says as he points to the handlebar cover. “Brown is my favorite, and I like the striped pattern that’s mixed in. The straps on the pedals even match the frame. Plus these handlebars are sweet.”
Max had other reasons for picking his frame. “Yeah, the color is cool, but I’ll be honest, this one was the cheapest of the bunch, that’s why I picked it. Remember, we’re in a recession,” he says with a laugh.
Aside from fashion, in the past few years, especially in the Portland area and in ‘hip’ neighborhoods like Williamsburg, Brooklyn, extreme sport fans have taken to fixed gear bikes to perform tricks on, instead of the traditional BMX style bikes.
Due to the simplicity of the fixed gear bikes and their brake system, riders have more control over their vehicles and can thus expand their catalog of moves. They’re not just for bike messengers anymore.
Known by some as “fixed gear freestyle” the riders can easily perform tricks like bunny hops and bar spins, and as an added bonus, when the rider pedals backwards, the bike moves backwards opening up even more ideas for tricksters.
Before he rides away, Eric shows off an easy trick by pedaling in reverse, and then pulling a bar spin. “I used to ride BMX back in the day, but I think these bikes are much cooler.” He flashes a wide grin. “And look how simple that trick was. You can’t beat that.”
One such move that is used by many riders is the “track stand”. The technique allows riders to stay balanced on their bicycles while moving only minimal distances. Road cyclists and bike messengers use it while stopped in traffic, especially at red lights, but the move is also used by the BMX riders in preparation for tricks.
To do a basic track stand, the rider holds the bicycle's cranks in a horizontal position, with his or her dominant foot forward. Forward motion is accomplished simply by pedaling forwards. The handlebars are held at approximately a 45-degree angle, which allows the rider to keep the bike directly below his or her center of gravity.
Those proficient at the track stand can maintain the position for a long period of time. There are more difficult variations, but they are mostly for showing off or at track stand competitions. The more advanced moves involve complications such as putting the non-dominant foot forward, sitting down, or taking one or both hands off the handlebars.
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