Hey, I was just wondering what differentiates a ‘hipster’ and someone who rides a fixed gear bike. Is it due to the reason why they ride a fixed gear bike in the first place (eg becasue its cool vs. because they enjoy it more)? Their clothes (eg. wearing beanie at the back of their head), what parts they have on their bike (eg front flouro aerospoke with a shitload of stickers vs. NJS parts), how long they’ve been riding a fixed gear or a combination of these factors and others not mentioned.
I’m just curious as to what and who the fixed gear community associates with being hipster both amongst themselves and other people who don’t ride bikes.
Also i know I have used some stereotypes in this post and I apologise if i have pissed anyone off. For example, i know that not everyone who rocks an aerospoke is a ‘hipster’ and not every one who wears a beanie is a ‘hipster’. …blah blah blah…
Subcultures belong to a conventionalist mind set: ie. they don’t actually exist in any real sense. And besides, to be real hipster, you need to ride a cyclocross bike now days. Just ride!
I ride fixed because I am different, definately not cool, don’t want to be cool or part of a trend, will pussy out on hills on a geared bike rather than attacking by default, don’t consider even lubing a bike until there is a major squeek, like looking like a fat old fart riding what most people think are rusty old pieces of crap knowing that most riders know shit about riding, I’m more comfortable being grouped in with hipsters than being grouped in with hoity toit business men on their road bikes drinking lattes when they should be having long lunches and playing golf instead,
have too many bikes under the house so will ride what I want when I want, meet up with other fixed riders because they mostly just enjoy the ride rather than want to dribble crap about their life to you.
EXCUSE ME NOW PLEASE, HAVE TO GO AND GET ANOTHER BEER.