It's kind of disturbing that anybody would wish for another person to crash simply because his bike isn't set up right.
I'm a little conflicted about how to react to this. On the one hand, I hear what you're saying, because what Bob Hanson and Bruce Thompson said certainly comes across as meanspirited. That said, I think Bob was actually pointing out the hazard with good intentions, even if he didn't reach out to the owner directly. (I certainly wouldn't have thought to look for the owner's email address at the fixed gear gallery). I think saying " I like it," was more of a little joke, not a wish to see the guy get hurt. It was more like saying "doh!" and smacking your head, because to Bob it is an obviously stupid configuration. So, maybe there was some mockery, but I think we can stop short of thinking Bob would laugh at the guy bleeding on the pavement. Bruce chimed in with that "practice for EMTs" thing, which was also silly, but I doubt a whish for someone to come to grief because he defiled some sacred bike. I sure hope not. Besides, it wasn't a real GC... (joke).
All this said, I think it is just a shame that it is now fashionable to get started in cycling by riding a fixed gear. Sorry, but for novice riders fixed on the road is simply unsafe. That would be WITH brakes. Without brakes?!?!??!?! In the city?!?!?!? What the hell are people thinking? They aren't thinking. They see that "all the cool kids" are doing it, so how risky could it be? They don't have any experience that tells them that freewheeling bikes with two brakes are plenty dangerous enough. They see fixed as NDB just like "everyone" saw driving without a seatbelt as NBD up til at least the 1970s. We'll that's because few people had experience with an actual car crash. It took forever for those who did have this experience to convince those of us who never saw carnage that seatbelts could mitigate that carnage. My grandfather was a doctor and saw plenty of mayhem firsthand. His family wore seatbelts in the 1950s. If I ever chose to ride fixed on the road again, I'd do it with great caution, outside the city, and I'd use two brakes, though one up front can be enough. No brakes is just so, so stupid it defies belief. What's the downside of slapping on a brake? For road riding the lever itself is basically necessary as a handrest anyway.
So, please, everybody quit complaining that bikers are ruining biking, and maybe go ride with some and see if you can keep up with them.
Very well put. I like that.
I push a 52 16, wanna race?
I wouldn't go bragging about that sort of thing. Gears for track racing are another matter, but racers who ride fixed on the road use an appropriate gear for that purpose. They do it to improve padaling action. They use gears in the range of 70-75 inches, not damn near 90 inches. That's the domain of knuckleheads who can't pedal, and don't care to learn. What do you do when you get to a hill? No, this is not something one does to improve his riding, and if it is in and of itself your idea of riding, rather than a means to becoming a better rider, well, go nuts. Sounds not only inefficient, but unpleasant, and possibly injurious.
Tom Dalton Bethlehem, PA USA
Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/
While I agree that cutting braze-ons off of road frames is rude, it also doesn't actually lighten or significantly change the appearance of the bike. That said, I ride an old Raleigh fixie conversion. It's kind of disturbing that anybody would wish for another person to crash simply because his bike isn't set up right. Maybe instead of mocking him, most fixedgeargallery postings have the email address of the poster, you should let him know he's in eminent danger. That's what any true biker should do. The fixed gear "fad" might be annoying to some people, but just imagine if all those derailleur's end up on ebay. Then all the old guys who can't just pedal harder will have a new trove of parts to restore the bikes that are hanging on their walls, and not riding the streets where any bike belongs. I think anything that's gets people riding more and driving less is great. As an added bonus it brings increased visibility to all bikers when cars have to pay attention while speeding down the street. So, please, everybody quit complaining that bikers are ruining biking, and maybe go ride with some and see if you can keep up with them. I push a 52 16, wanna race?
Brad Puyallup, WA 1930-40 Australian Healing path racer
Just remember what the "fixie" crowd produces: Scrap metal and great practice for emergency medical technicians. BT
Stronglight49(AT)aol.com wrote: Well, with the powder coat the bike won't get too scratched... when it throws him on his head.
Nothing quite like:
1.) a low road bike bottom bracket 2.) long crank arms 3.) a fixed gear 4.) a wide road pedal 5.) a cocky first time fixie rider
all entering a fast un-banked turn... to spell imminent disaster.
I see a painful learning curve on someone's horizon. A long fall from a tall bike. I like it :-)
BOB HANSON, ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, USA
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