Riders in disguise!!

[colinr]

Your typical hipster is a iPod listening (see Arctic Monkeys, Killers etc) skinny, rakish 20-something, wearing as you suggest drainpipe jeans (with one leg rolled up), and sometimes a sturdy chain lock around waist. They ride fixed-wheel bikes with tiny narrow handlebars, garish paint-jobs, and maybe a token front brake to avoid the long arm of the law.

I rode with some of these fixed folk that you so despise a few weeks back. Thought I was in for a casual pub trip, I've never had to push so hard. Clothes do not the man make &c

 

[GrasB]

When doing short distance utility runs I'd just throw on my SPDs get on the bike & hit 95% HRmax inside 1/4 a mile then hold it up till I got to the destination. Odds on I'd just breeze by roadies at silly speeds even if I had a rucksack of shopping . That said the roadies were probably on runs around 10x longer or more than mine.

 

[PrettyboyTim]

I'm one of those people now. It's because my commute is only one mile long ;-)

Mind you, if I could somehow avoid sweating in the nether regions on longer rides, I'd happily wear jeans with one leg rolled up.

 

[NigC]

I'm one of those people now. It's because my commute is only one mile long ;-)

Mind you, if I could somehow avoid sweating in the nether regions on longer rides, I'd happily wear jeans with one leg rolled up.

Argh, too much information I do my 5+ miles in jeans and manage to avoid that particular problem - although I sweat just about everywhere else

 

[Tynan]

90% of the fixie types I see are fashion types

the odd one is serious and quick

and the very odd one is plain fast

the dirtier the faster is the rule, the fashion types are clean with lots of bright colours on the bike

the fast ones are oily and wearing grubby clothes

not seen any of these fast but casual types

 

[Deleted member 1258]

The warm weathers great, the cycle jackets gone in the workbag. I'm doing the six and a half mile each way commute on my fixed in a red polo shirt, work trousers and steel toe capped boots. At the weekend, if its still nice, the geared bike will come out, with the cycle shoes, the short sleeved cycle top and a pair of shorts, can't wait.

 

[potsy]

90% of the fixie types I see are fashion types

the odd one is serious and quick

and the very odd one is plain fast

the dirtier the faster is the rule, the fashion types are clean with lots of bright colours on the bike

the fast ones are oily and wearing grubby clothes

not seen any of these fast but casual types

What,not even hackers?

 

[CharlieB]

I was already hot in shorts and a t-shirt, when a guy on an MTB wearing jeans, a heavy jacket and boots blitzed past me on the Regent's Park outer circle this morning. He would've been doing at least 28mph.

 

[automatic_jon]

They ride fixed-wheel bikes with tiny narrow handlebars, garish paint-jobs, and maybe a token front brake to avoid the long arm of the law.

There's always one or two of these bike outside my uni. As I waddle through the library corridor in my SPDs I always try to keep an eye out for their hippsterish potential owners.

 

[jonny jeez]

I don't think all are fakengers. Many fakengers couldn't keep up the sort of speed Jonny is talking about, and besides, many times it's just someone in ordinary clothing and not even paying much attention to fashion or other detail.

spot on...(although i do like Andy's description of the average fixie rider...its scarily accurate even wto the lock around the waist...is there a uniform).

but BM is on the money here, its not just one type if rider, more the ones that just take you by surprise.

I was blown away by a chap in cords and a shirt with his sleeves rolled up...he was FLYYYYYING...it was all I could do to talk when we got to the lights and he wasnt even breaking a sweat (a definite club rider in disguise)

 

[BentMikey]

Here's a good example - the chap on the hybrid.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpX71Qq0wNk


I would guess he's much faster than the knobjockey who jumped the lights, we'd been riding together for quite a few miles at a good speed, the kj's little sprint notwithstanding.

 

[BigSteev]

lol! had the Kj lost the peleton? Outside of an event (race, club run etc) who wears that stuff to cycle in? Jeans & Vans FTW!

 

[BentMikey]

LOL, that's no different in principle to his choice in fashion. I thought he looked quite good actually, just rode like an arse.

 

[GrasB]

For me anything less than 10 miles it'll be normal clothes with some padded undershorts. Above that & it's cycling gear as it's simply more comfortable to ride in, personally I try to keep away from team & team like kit. But KJ's gear looked a little like team kit for my liking.

 

[Tynan]

been far too warm for longs for ages surely?

i was stunned at how many riders were in hiviz coats today, I'm now in my lightest stuff and still feeling very warm

That bloke's kit was rather full on for my taste