What made you decide to get a fixed gear bike? Answer seriously and honestly

I hopped on my first bike when I was 4 years old, I've always been so into cycling and I'm not goanna lie my preference or taste in bikes does tend to vary, but at the same time fixed gear cycling just seems to be the most intense form of bike riding. Just think about it, a bike that doesn't stop peddling with (with no brakes if you're a crazy guy). It's insane. I have always been into older bikes, especially bikes in the 60's and 70's, and the first time I ever saw a fixed gear it was a conversion. It was an older Fuji, and the fact that I couldn't stop peddling blew my mind, like nothing I had ever experienced before. I was hooked since then. This was around the time I was growing up in a rough spot in Garden Grove so none of my friend's had the money to buy deep vs and aerospokes and expensive track bikes, everyone had conversions, therefore that's what my initial thought of what any fixed gear was. I, personally, got into fixed gears about 3-4 years ago because I thought they were cool, but I ride now for transportation mainly, and also fitness. Riding fixed gears keeps me young and youthful. Tricks aren't really my thing, and if anyone wants to try and say "Well times are changing, you have to learn!" you can suck my balls because you're a piece of shit. Long story short, I ride to ride fast and I ride so I don't become a lazy self-loathing bastard.

-ggntjs

Dude thats crazy cause I hopped on my first bike when I was 4 years old too, I've always been so into cycling and I'm not goanna lie my preference or taste in bikes does tend to vary, but at the same time fixed gear cycling just seems to be the most intense form of bike riding. Just think about it, a bike that doesn't stop peddling with (with no brakes if you're a crazy guy). It's insane. I have always been into older bikes, especially bikes in the 60's and 70's, and the first time I ever saw a fixed gear it was a conversion. It was an older Fuji, and the fact that I couldn't stop peddling blew my mind, like nothing I had ever experienced before. I was hooked since then. This was around the time I was growing up in a rough spot in Garden Grove so none of my friend's had the money to buy deep vs and aerospokes and expensive track bikes, everyone had conversions, therefore that's what my initial thought of what any fixed gear was. I, personally, got into fixed gears about 3-4 years ago because I thought they were cool, but I ride now for transportation mainly, and also fitness. Riding fixed gears keeps me young and youthful. Tricks aren't really my thing, and if anyone wants to try and say "Well times are changing, you have to learn!" you can suck my balls because you're a piece of shit. Long story short, I ride to ride fast and I ride so I don't become a lazy self-loathing bastard. True story

used to ride mtb.. after a while it just got inconvenient to ride to somewhere where i could actually take it off road and use the bike for what it was made for.  started riding on the street just to ride..  was looking into buying a used roadie before i was introduced to fixed gear.  first time i found out about them i was in LA walking into DIM MAK tuesday at Cinespace and saw a group of 15-20 kids riding down .  i noticed they werent regular bikes so i asked my friend who was a team rider about them and he filled me in on everything.  after that i started seeing fixed gears EVERYWHERE.  i was really turned on by the simplicity of the bike, the idea of being a part of the drive train and really tied into the bike, and the historical idea that up until the 1940s(?) or so all bikes were fixed.  kinda like a back to basics, stick to your roots type deal.
 
either way, now i get yelled at from moving cars and people think im a hipster for riding a bike.  fun times.

I went to the RVCA warehouse sale 3 years ago and saw some little black kid doing tricks. My friend was like DUDE THAT GUY HAS A FIXIE, and I had no idea what he was talking about. (untill then I had rode target mtb's cuz I thought that good bikes had to be the ones with the thickest tires and biggest shocks and gnarliest looking frames. But it ended up being a bitch riding to school cuz they weighed 50 pounds.) So then I googled fixes and read sheldon brown and all about what the concept was. And then I found out what critical mass was, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever!! SO then I bought a SS of craigslist for 200 and went to July CMCM/ RVCA Council of Doom premiere. It was awesome and I never saw so many bikes together. So then I converted it to fixed and that was my first bike. I love how it's so simple, light, and efficient. And I hate dealing w/ cables. I ride to get fit and do gnarly routes that only roadies usually do.

almost 4 months ago one of my close friends started riding his brothers fuji track pro almost everyday while me and a few other guys still rode skateboards. It was the summer so as kids do in the summer, we were almost always at the Taco Bell on bristol. times were good btu this kid with the bike, kalvin, he was just so much faster then us. and then one day i got to try his brothers bike... it was pretty dam interesting and funny to see me hop on! first of all the frame was a little bit too big for me, 2nd id never rode anything with a completely horizontal top tube. so i was pretty confused on how to mount. then i tried pedaling forward. the moment i stopped pedaling, or tried to stop, i knew this shit was not going to let me. i kind of panicked and i had to be saved hahah. i got to try it a few ore time after that, and then kalvin's bike when he got his own. it made me feel strong because i could feel the power i put into the down stroke come back at me. Kalvin made a vague reference to getting my own bike and i did one day, a 10 speed i was planning on converting about 3 months ago.

i spent the next month learning what a bottom bracket was, how to change handlebars, replace a tube (i hadnt even known there were a tubes in a tires!) and how to adjust and tighten a chain. i spent way to much on a conversion because i didn't realizing what a good pricing was at the time. but the money i overpaid was returned to me in good times, learning how to ride a bike for the first time in 3 years, & the knowledge of how to put together a bike from the ground up. the skateboard i told my self id still ride all the time now sits in my garage, leaned against a brown folding chair collecting dust. i don't really mind though, i still get out to ride wood every time the it pops up its head, like a few time every few months- but how far & fast i could get on a bike just made it a more long-distance friendly form of transport. i never thought i get so deep into bicycles in general but im really glad i did. biking is something ill keep with me father down the road then i would have with skateboarding, so thanks kalvin, if you reading this, i know you lurk this shit! it was tight picking up this hobbie with you before we graduated.

i first heard about people riding "track bikes" on the street in the early 80s. my brother and i talked about it but back then you couldnt just walk into a bike shop and get fixed gear parts. we were content with our road bikes anyway. over the years i got out of cycling, just didnt have the time to ride like i used to. then, a while back, i stumbled across a fixed gear web site. i spent about 8 or 10 months looking at all the stuff thats so readily available now and then finding a suitable bike to convert, then another 6 or 8 gathering parts and building it.  i really like the minimalist aspect of singlespeed, and more specifically fixed gear, bikes. its just stripped down to only the things that are absolutely necessary. it seems like so many people get caught up in all the crap you can buy to accessorize they forget about riding. fixed gears seem kinda like the opposite of that to me. most of the time. 

i guess thats my story.

sketchiness is exciting. alot of times a track bike pushes me to go just a little bit faster than im comfortable with, which i like. plus i cant think of any other bike that you can ride decent distances and still have fun in a parking lot with. you can't argue with fun.

i think it was hey corey you need one of these stupid bikes
- al

i dont drive.

i dont drive.

-congo

you get bent over shitty builds

A friend of mine showed me some tricks and I thought it was pretty cool, I also wanted to get in to better shape and skateboarding was kind of dying for me, although I was pretty good. I just wanted to go to the beach often and enjoy the freedom of not having school.

got my bike a year ago. friend got one first. then i built up mine and met all your fcktards. dont regret anything.

i got into it because of a kid in my neighborhood was doing keo spins and stuff

i wanted to mash cause i dont have a car

i think i read this somewhere, but i started because, it was fast to get to places. faster than my long board. and wen u arent riding u still can have fun !

GO KEVIN!!!!

me and srf4life started like a year and a half ago...he started a month before me and i whas jelous!! i remember when he got his deep-v weimans we all worshipped him. who cares if someone buys the same bike as u or there bike doesnt look "cool" to u!!! alot of us fixed gear riders are being hatters and thats not what its about!! we ride kus its fun and thats that. go ahead, talk shit on my blogspot!!! i made a blog and u talk crap on it! i dont care what other people say!! and no one else should!!! so screw all the other people that give us a hard time and ride for YOU and ride to ride!

About two years ago,back when I was in Augusta,Georgia, my brother got a call from one of his old friends from back here in Fountain Valley. And through that phone call my brother caught up with his friend and found out that he was now into fixed gears. Me being in Georgia and all(where I was the only kid to wear tight pants >.<) i had never heard of such a bike. And then i found out it could go backwards if you pedaled backwards! That is what got me hooked. But I did not get my first fixed gear until a year after that. And that is why I started riding fixed. For fakie : )

Go Kevin!
Me and srf4life started like a year and a half ago. He started riding a month before me and I was jealous! I remember when he got his Weinmann DP18 wheels, we all worshiped him. Who cares if someone buys the same bike as you or their bike does not look "cool" to you! A lot of us fixed gear riders are being haters and that's not what it's about! We ride because it's fun and that's that. Go ahead, talk shit on my blogspot! I made a blog and you talk crap on it! I don't care what other people say! And no one else should either! So screw all the other people that give us a hard time and ride for YOU and ride to ride!

-jonathan

Sorry, had to make a couple of changes in your little tirade.

I think it's great that you ride for yourself and no one else's approval. But you seem to be seeking approval by posting a link to your blog in every post.

When you put yourself out there for all to see, there are no guarentees that everyone who views it will have a positive reaction.

There are always going to be haters on forums, but you have to consider the source and maturity level of the person before you get insulted.

If someone doesn't like your bike, because of the way it looks there is nothing you can do about it.
People don't like my bike because it has compact geometry, I don't give a fuck, especially when that person rides a conversion with a front Aerospoke.

Tastes vary, really who gives a fuck?

So what have we learned?

If you don't want people to shit talk on your bike, don't post pictures of it.

If you don't want people to shit talk on your blog, don't post links to it.

Adding extra exclamation points, besides being something girls do, does not give it extra emphasis. It just shows why American schools are in such trouble.

Oh and Jonathon, if you don't like this forum, you should delete your account. I won't take it personal so you should not either.