EUROTRIP // VANCOUVER // ADELAIDE // PENTABIKE // MIKE

RO
PE TR
NT IP
AB // V
IK AN
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// CO
M UV
IK ER
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GI //
AN AD
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// A
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...
EU
003
FIXED
SPRING 2009
4
Fixed
WWW.FIXED-MAG.COM
“MY DAD ALWAYS DOODLED AND HE KEPT A PAD ON HIS
DESK. ONE DAY HE DREW THE STRIPE HE WANTED FOR OUR
SHOES AND WENT TO OUR PATENT GUY, AN OLD COBBLER
FROM BOSTON, AND SHOWED IT TO HIM. HE CALLED IT THE
JAZZ STRIPE AND THEY LIKED IT SO HE PUT IT ON THE OLD
SKOOL, STYLE 36. THAT WAS OUR FIRST SKATE SHOE THAT
HAD LEATHER ON IT AND FIRST CAME OUT IN 77.”
–STEVE VAN DOREN ON THE BIRTH OF THE VANS SIDESTRIPE
ANOTHER STORY OF SOLE FROM A VANS ORIGINAL
BOOK DROPPING JUNE 1
VANS.COM/VANSBOOK
Fixed
234 Fixed
©©2009
2009VANS
VANSINC.
INC.
XXXXXX
X XXX XX XXXX X XXX XX XXXX X
XXX XX XXXX X XXX XX XXXX X XXX
Fixed
38
4 Fixed
PHOTO: XXXXX XXXXXX
S
E
M
A
R
F
RIDER: Charlie Reinagel
PHOTO: Dave Essom
LOCATION: South Philadelphia, USA
6
Fixed
PHOTO: Ian Sansom
LOCATION: Herne Hill Velodrome, UK
8
Fixed
RIDER: Juliet Elliot
PHOTO: Sam Hart
LOCATION: London, UK
Fixed
10
10 Fixed
RIDER: Unknown
PHOTO: Sven Kovac
LOCATION: Adelaide, Australia
12 Fixed
EDITORIAL
T
hings are exciting for fixed gear right
now, as new companies are started,
old companies get reinvigorated and
the scene continues to grow. Some
of the most interesting work is being
done on frames – especially frames
for jumping around on. Bike companies are stepping
it up: Charge, Milwaukee, FBM, 14 Bike Co, Gorilla,
Volume and Subrosa are experimenting with designs
to suit the beatings that fixed riders are submitting
their bikes too. John Prolly coined the term 700CMX
recently which I love the sound of... But it’s too early
to try to define things.
Despite that, it’s time to take a step back and
appreciate what’s going on in ALL areas of fixed
gear culture. Some people will try to clarify things
by imposing rules... but we shouldn’t listen and
continue to do whatever we feel like!
The most important thing is to ride with others – I
don’t do it as much as I should, which is why I know!
14 Fixed
May 2009
We should accept all styles of riding and appreciate
the differences. If you don’t like the way others ride,
it should inspire you to ride in your own way. You can
take inspiration from anywhere.
If you ride fixed you know your foresight is better
when you are hacking it down the street through
heavy traffic. There was a point in time that I thought
I would never ride brakeless, but sure enough... It
happened. I have learned to be open and accept
that anything is possible, maybe not by me, but but
definitely by someone, somewhere in the not too
distant future.
Get inspired!
Andy Ellis
February 2009
3 8 th A n n i v e r s a r y L i m i t e d E d i t i o n H i g h F l a n g e Tr a c k H u b S e t & C u s t o m S p r o c k e t
Only 100 sets available in Europe . Individually serial numbered . Available in polished silver, black & anodised colour
European enquiries contact: Brick Lane Bikes, London . [email protected] . www.bricklanebikes.co.uk . +44(0) 20 7033 9053
ON THE COVER
EMPTY CAR PARKS USED TO BE THE
REFUGE OF SKATERS – NOW IT’S OUR
TURN. GUS IN LONDON
PHOTO: ANDY ELLIS
HERE:
SUMMER’S COMING AND THE NIGHTS
ARE GETTING SHORTER... HERE’S TO
LAZY DAYS AND FUN TIMES!
PHOTO: IAN SANSOM
CONTENTS
Fixed Magazine issue 3
Spring 2009
06 – FRAMES
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE GLOBAL FIXED GEAR SCENE
14 – EDITORIAL
MEANDERINGS FROM OUR EDITORIAL MINDSET
20 – HOT AIR
LIES, LIES, LIES... AND SOME NEWS
28 – INSTANTS
FOOT FETISHISTS REJOICE
30 – DUALITY
PARISIAN RIDING BUDDIES DISCUSS THEIR FRIENDSHIP
34 – MOST WANTED
NEW PRODUCTS THAT HAVE OUR PULSES RACING
40 – WITH LOVE, FROM ADELAIDE
FIXED MAG TAKES A TRIP DOWN UNDER
46 – EUROTRIP
NINE IDIOTS ATTEMPT TO BURN THE OLD WORLD DOWN
66 – IMPENDING DOOM
SO-CAL’S HOTTEST MOVIE RELEASE UNCOVERED
70 – POSTCARDS FROM VANCOUVER
A DAY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, EH?
76 – SPIN TO WIN
THE REBIRTH OF ROLLER RACING
78 – PENTABIKE
WORSHIP THE DEVIL – FROM YOUR BIKE!
80 – ARTISAN
CUSTOM FRAME BUILDER LEE COOPER UNDER THE
SPOTLIGHT
82 – FLIP FLOP
LONG TIME BIKE AFICIONADO/ARTIST MIKE GIANT SPEAKS
86 – BIKE CHECK
A BIKE IS MORE THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS
88 – TRICK TRACK
INSIDE THE WORLD’S ONLY FREESTYLE FIXED FORUM
16 Fixed
Fixed
36
18 Fixed
HOT AIR
The world’s first European Hard
Court Bike Polo championships!
In the last few years, the popularity of bike polo has
exploded, first in the US before quickly spreading to
bike scenes everywhere. Regular weekly throw-in
games are happening in cities around the world, with
particularly strong scenes in NYC, LA, London, Berlin,
Paris and Karlsruhe. Last year there were a number
of tournaments where international teams visited and
played hard, but 2009 will see the first ever European
Hard Court Bike Polo championships! Invitations to
submit a proposal were sent to every city in Europe
with the resulting bids being voted on by all concerned
– London’s bid was accepted and the event will be
held over the weekend of 1-2 August 2009, with a full
tournament as well as side events, parties and other
fun bike stuff. The event is limited to 30 teams with a
set number of teams per city (London will only field
four!) – if you’d like to be considered, check out the
website www.ehcbp.org and register your interest!
SuperTec...
Big news from London – SuperTed has left Profile
and signed on the dotted line for Goldtec, the UK
based parts manufacturer who have been turning out
high quality track and MTB parts for the last 15 years.
20 Fixed
As well as riding Goldtec hubs, Ted has the green light
to develop a line of fixed-specific parts that promise
to bring a new way of looking at things. We’ve heard
about some of the ideas that he has, and they’re
interesting to say the least – Ted knows what works,
so having a rider of his calibre on board is going to
result in some pretty sick gear coming out of England.
In other Goldtec news, they’ve recently released a
48 hole version of their
famous track hub, aimed at
bike polo players and heavy
hitting freestyle fixed riders.
The custom drilling adds
a little to the retail price,
but even so, they’re still a
bargain. www.betd.co.uk
Put to the Sword
Ever since FBM released their all-American fixed gear
frame ‘The Sword’, the question on everybody’s lips
has been ‘where are the forks?’. FBM have taken
their time developing them to the point where they’re
100% happy with the result – and we think it’s time
well spent. The new Sword forks are made from the
same quality 4130 steel as the frame and are available
in five colours – we think they look pretty damn sweet.
Check out www.fbmfixed.com for more details.
HOT AIR
Brick Lane Bikes x Bob Jackson
A meeting of minds between two of the bigger names
in the UK fixed gear scene, Brick Lane Bikes have
recently taken delivery of a small run of collaboration
framesets made by the legendary Bob Jackson
of Leeds. The frameset is a little tighter than the
standard Vigorelli and features a fluted seatpost to
get your rear wheel in super tight to the seat tube
for increased stiffness in the rear. They’ve also used
Paul Component track ends, with micro-adjust chain
tugs built in to ensure your drive train is slick and safe
and the whole ensemble comes in three custom
colourways. A sick, sick collaboration and with the
pound being at the weakest it’s been in decades, it’s
pure handbuilt English quality at a bargain price – check
out www.bricklanebikes.co.uk for more information.
Back to the Future
With the amount of hi-tech doozywhatsits available
in the cycling world today, it’s reassuring to see there
are some classics still around – or in the case of San
Marco, reissued. The Italian seat manufacturer has
seen the demand for their vintage saddles go through
the roof in recent years and so has re-released
some of the classic saddles that helped to establish
22 Fixed
them at the top of the game. Our favourites are the
Concor SuperCorsa in black synthetic suede and
the Regal in white, but the range is wide enough for
there to be something for everyone. Prices for this
handmade Italian craftsmanship are good and what’s
more the saddles are comfortable and look sweet.
www.sellesanmarco.com
HOT AIR
Halo Aeroage
Vans Supercorsa
Inspired by the classic Italian racing shoes of the
60’s, the Vans Supercorsa has just dropped,
throughout the world. Featuring the legendary Vans
waffle sole for ultimate pedal grip and a perforated
leather upper, the Supercorsa look traditional yet
rides like a regular Vans shoe. www.vans.com
Fixed
EDITORIAL
Ian [email protected]
Andy Ellis [email protected]
DESIGN
Nick Butterfield
[email protected]
Steffi Sobotka
[email protected]
Thankfully the days of inexpensive but crappy prebuilt wheelsets seem to have passed and Halo are
the latest company to release a quality wheelset
at a price that means you won’t have to sell a
kidney to get them. CNC machined hubs and
anodised deep section rims are built up using
a double butted spokes – www.halorims.com
SWRVE
24 Fixed
M
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Y
Greg Falski, Dave Essom, Sam Hart, Sven
CM
Kovac, Monique Kawecki, Tom Oldham, Dave
MY
Strunk, JeffLuger, Dustin Klein
Fast Friday DVD
www.fastfriday.com
Sit back, relax
and enjoy one of
the most inspiring
bike movies we’ve
seen this year.
Fast Friday is a
documentary
of
a movement that
started in Seattle
to promote their
cycling community.
Featuring footage
from the early days,
with a dozen riders at the Cadence warehouse, to
the final event where more than 100 people showed
up, Fast Friday documents the growth of a movement
and the positive impact it can bring to everyone who is
a part of it. If you’re looking for back to back freestyle
bangers, Fast Friday is not your movie, although
there is plenty of trick eye-candy from riders such as
Keo and Kia from Seattle. Inspiring beyond words.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Tony Fast, Monique Kawecki, Odge Wong, Ted
C
James, Louis David, Toma, 401 Rush
CY
Fixed is published four times a year by Death
CMY
Trap Publishing and is available free from
K
selected bike shops around the world
ADVERTISING
Please address all advertising enquires to
[email protected]
The opinions expressed in Fixed Mag are not
necessarily those of the editors and publishers.
Thanks to everyone who made this possible, you
know who you are.
Fixed magazine is printed on unbleached 100%
recycled paper using vegetable oil inks.
SWRVE are releasing a new version of their ¾ length
shorts in a more traditional, summer short length
right about now. They’ll be available in both WWR
and cotton versions, with black or grey in each
and should be slightly cheaper than the ¾ version.
With double thickness material to the butt and a
host of cycle friendly features, these are looking
so rad. Roll on summer! www.swrvecycling.com
Printed by Calverts
9/10 The Oval,
London E2 9DT
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7739 1474
HOT AIR
Volume just released the new version of the Cutter
frame that has been setting fixed freestyle world on
fire in the last few months, with new drop outs and
a few other features to improve things. For a full test
/4
8T
h
6.
3
ing
in r
. black/silver
m
ar
O
IS
m
5m
. 1
6
nk
turn to the Most Wanted pages, but in the meantime,
check out this version in the new bubblegum pink
colourway. It’s also available in raw and black, with
white and aqua getting cut. www.volumebikes.com
B r i c k
26 Fixed
46
8t
cha
s
.
1/
mm
L a n e
B i k e s
L o n d o n
UK Distributors: BLB Big Mama
t/f:+44 (0)20 7033 2900 e:[email protected]
Available at Brick Lane Bikes
www.bricklanebikes.co.uk
Photo: Bobby
Pump up the Volume
Howies clothing have
just announced that
Fixed mag readers will
enjoy a 15% discount
off all purchases made
– to qualify, all you
have to do is enter the
discount code – which
can be found on their
advert in this issue – at
the checkout stage. All
items (including their
killer NBL Long merino
baselayer
shown
below) qualify for this
discount, so if you
want to grab yourself
a bargain, now is the
time!
For more info
on the Howies brand,
check out their website
– www.howies.co.uk
HUBS . FR AME DROP OUTS . LOCK RINGS . CR ANK SETS . LEVER S . CALIPER S
k C
ra
This looks pretty interesting.
Ever wanted to run two
different gears with the
minimum of hassle? The
Surly Dingle is a CNC
machined cog that has
two different sized cogs
on one side, meaning you
can change you gearing
with the minimum of fuss
– just untighten your wheel,
move the chain over and reset the wheel in your
dropouts and then retighten everything. It’s the kind
of thing that polo players will love as it means they
can ride to the courts on a decent gear and switch
it to a spinny one for the match. The limitations of
sizing means that the cog is 3/16” instead of the
burlier 1/8” that track bikes use and your chainline
won’t be perfect, but it could definitely change the
game for a lot of people, especially those who only
have a single sided hub. www.surlybikes.com
Howies bargains!
Royal Flush
Tr a c
Surly Dingle cog
PAU L C O M P O N E N T E N G I N E E R I N G . C H I C O , C A . U S A .
INSTANTS
LOOK DOWN.
You can tell a bike rider by the wear and tear on their
shoes. I’ve been snapping photos of rider’s footwear
for a few months and I was pretty surprised at how
many people in London opt for clipless pedals.
It seems that the type of shoes that people choose
to ride in is split pretty much down the middle. Those
who commute a long distance, or work on their bikes
favour Sidi’s and clipless pedals (usually Time Atacs),
while fixed freestylers, casual riders and newbies opt
for skate shoes – Vans in particular thanks to their
simple, tough and clip-friendly construction. At the
end of the day, it doesn’t matter what you ride in, as
long as you’re out there having fun.
Words and photos by Ian Sansom
Fixed
28 Fixed
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Distributed in the UK by Moore Large Ltd - [email protected] - www.knog.com.au
DUALITY
LUIS DAVID & TOMA
30 Fixed
Riding hard through the streets of Paris, France, Toma and
Luis David describe their friendship
LUIS DAVID
(MAD BROS RECORDS)
TOMA
(CYCLOPE BIKE SHOP)
I guess the first thing that comes to my mind when I
think about Toma is ‘passion’. This cat eats, drinks,
smokes and lives fixed gear, and I respect that a lot.
On his bike, he’s kind of always ahead of me; but I
don’t feel competitive – we’re just riding. Even when
carrying wheels or frames and through traffic, he’s a
fast motherf*****. But when some car tries to kick me
off the road, I am confident that T is there if there’s a
problem. I don’t know if we were born to ride, but we
certainly ride with pride
Luis David. My heart races when I think about the first
time we met... It was a perfect summer day along the
river. His yellow Aerospoke was shining on me like
sunlight through a deep blue sky. He glanced at me
and then sped off into the sunshine, pulling a super
fast wheelie. I never saw him again, but I’ll never
forget that time
Fixed
38
32 Fixed
MOST WANTED
“Bling, Bling...”
7.
6.
2.
3.
1.
1. VANS ERA GABE MORFORD
www.vans.com
Hands/feet down, the best pair of Vans I’ve worn for
riding yet! Stiffer sole, hard wearing upper and waterproof to some degree – if skateboarders caught wind
of how tough these are... damn, there’d be none left.
I hope Vans keep producing them, or at least change
the colours up for next season. Gabe knew what he
was doing when he specced these out! – Andy
2. CONDOR HUBS
www.condorcycles.com
Condor Cycles on Grays Inn Road have been serving
the London cycling community for more than 60
years. Newly released are their economy track hubs,
a high flange unslotted hub with sealed bearings,
which are very reminiscent of Gran Compes. These
roll exceptionally smoothly and the build quality is
just great at this price point. We’ve been rolling on
them for hundreds of miles and have nothing but
good things to say. A full range of colours means
that you’ll be able to build a set of low cost wheels
that you can rely on – Ian
Fixed
34 Fixed
5.
4.
8.
3. CARHARTT HOODIE
5. SMEEAR HAT
7. ARCHIES ADDIE BACKPACK
www.carharttstreetwear.com
www.smeear.co.uk
www.archiesgrobags.co.uk
World famous for their workwear, Carhartt’s street
line just stepped up with a water resistant hooded
sweatshirt, with a useful phone pocket to the rear.
Made from 100% cotton, the material has been
treated with a waterproofing agent to keep you
dry in light showers. The phone pocket features a
waterproof zip to keep the worst of the weather and
they’ve resisted the urge to go overboard with the
logos. Good work! – Ian
We love small brands and Smeear are one of our
favourites. Each cap is hand made in London from
reclaimed and/or recycled materials and is tailored
a little more stylishly than the average cycling hat.
Smeear hats are well thought out, with touches like
reflective materials under the brim of some of the
pieces. It’s hard to say what will be in stock with
Smeear at any one time, as the materials change
based on what they can get their hands on, so the
best thing is to check out the website – Ian
Handmade one at a time, Archies Grobags are a
one-man operation with the emphasis on getting
the right bag for your needs. The all new Addie
backpack helps spread heavy loads across both
shoulders, making it more versatile for those who
use their bike for everything. Clever use of materials
means that it packs down small for day to day use,
but expands to huge proportions when you need the
extra space. Incredible quality and attention to detail
in one of the best bags we’ve ever seen – Ian
www.chargebikes.com
6. CADENCE SACE
www.cadenceclothing.net
8. KNOG BEETLE LIGHT
I always steer clear of wheels I haven’t built myself,
but these Charge Dish have been on my bike for
three months and they’re still in perfect shape. The
rims are slightly wide than a normal rim which means
that you can run bigger tyres if you choose, yet can
still fit 23’s should you want the speed. I went for the
polished versions because it looks as though there’s
no braking surface for a cleaner fnish. 32 hole rims,
sealed bearings and a great price, too. I’ll let you
know if and when they break! - Andy
4. CHARGE DISH WHEELS
I didn’t need the Sace pouch, but it’s so well made
that I just wanted it – I didn’t think I’d actually use
it... Then one day I headed out for a ride with just a
camera and a few tools and the pouch was a perfect
size, so I gave it a go and now I use it everyday. I’m
sure that you could get a pretty comprehensive small
tool kit in there, or maybe even 80 tea bags... – Andy
www.knog.com
Knog have recently added the Beetle light to their
ever-popular line – a twin LED light with twice the
brightness and four different modes – constant, fast
flash, slow flash and alternate, which gives you an
option for most situations. The Beetle has no brackets to ruin the lines of your bike and the amount of
light they put out is surprising, plenty enough to be
seen from several hundred metres away – we can’t
recommend them enough – Ian
MOST WANTED
13.
15.
11.
9.
12.
10.
14.
16.
9. HOWIES MERINO
11. VELOCITY DEEP V’S
13. HALO TWIN RAIL COURIER TYRE
15. PROFILE FIXED HUBS
www.howies.co.uk
www.velocitywheels.com
www.halorims.com
www.profilefixed.com
Merino, let me count the ways that I love thee...
Nature’s gift to the bike rider comes in the form of
this light weight and fine wool that can woven into a
material that come close in feel to a t shirt. Merino
keeps you warm when it’s cold, cool when it’s hot
and works to transport sweat away from your body
as you exercise. As a bonus you can wear it for days
before you begin to notice that no one wants to sit
next to you. The Tripster polo shirt is the one to wear
when you ride your bike to the pub as the days get
longer. Check it out at www.howies.co.uk – Ian
There’s no need to tell you how stiff, strong and
pretty much indestructible Deep V’s are for every day
riding on the street. OK, they’re not the lightest rims
in the world, but you can’t have it all. Velocity have
recently worked out a method for applying graphics
to the rims, which has meant the already large range
just got bigger. Velocity Deep V’s are available in
650c and 700c, and with a variety of drilling options
to make sure you get the perfect set up – Ian
The problem with lots of the coloured tyres available
is that they’re more intended to look good than work
well – but we’re greedy and don’t see why you can’t
have both. The Twin Rail Courier tyre uses Halo’s
well-proven twin ridges of extra rubber for added
wear resistance and puncture protection. There’s
also layer of puncture resistant material under the
tyre and a tough 120tpi casing, plus a reasonable
price tag – Ian
I have been riding the Profile track hubs hard and
they are super solid with no slipping in the dropouts
at all. They feel really smooth and roll forever, which
helps make them a truly excellent hubset. Look out
for more colours popping up, and the double fixed
hubs available now. The lockring supplied is twice the
thickness of most others so you can tighten it with no
fear. Light enough for the track, yet strong enough for
tricks with 28, 32, or 36 hole drilling – SuperTed
12. NARI FURI
14. OURY GRIPS
16. SWRVE
10. BERN BAKER HELMET
www.bernunlimited.com
First of all, I don’t wear usually wear helmets but I
made an exception with this one because it’s light,
protective and it looks good. I know I should wear
them more, but I wear this when I jump down some
stuff, which is not very often. It’s comfortable with a
sweet design tha manages to avoid making me look
like Toady from Mario Kart, which is a bonus – Skelly
Fixed
36 Fixed
www.narifuri.com
Fresh out of Japan comes Nari Furi, a streetwear/
bike brand who’s product look just as good off the
bike as on. Less than two years old, Nari Furi is
making an impact at home in Japan and increasingly in other countries too. Everything is designed to
work on a bike with nicely thought out ideas such as
phone pockets on the right hand chest for easy access when you’re riding with a messenger bag. Well
made and with a great fit, we like! – Ian
www.ouryusa.com
www.swrve.com
Made with pride in the USA, Oury grips were
originally intended for the BMX and mountain bike
markets, but it wasn’t long before fixed gear riders
noticed their benefits – soft, yet chunky rubber
that absorbs the impacts of street riding and were
durable enough to last for ages. OK, the huge range
of colours probably helped out as well, but there’s no
denying their high quality and low cost.
Recommended – Ian
We love this company, who combine an ethical
stance on manufacture with equipment designed to
work well on your bike and look good at the same
time. The Milwaukee hooded jacket has been an
indispensable piece of equipment, with it’s water and
windproof softshell material, and a full zip, adjustable
hood and handy pockets to the rear to carry your on
bike essentials. One of the best pieces of cycling kit
I’ve ever owned – Ian
MOST WANTED
49/53 GRAYS INN RD, LONDON, WC1X 8PP
[email protected]
CONDOR CROSSTOP LEVERS:
£19.99 PAIR
CONDOR ROAD BRAKES SINGLE: £24.99
C
M
CONDOR/SUGINO CHAINSETS - FROM £64.99
AVAILABLE IN: GOLD, SILVER, BLACK, BLUE & RED - 44T/46T/48T
Y
CM
MY
CY
17.
CONDOR/MICHE CHAINSETS: £99.99
AVAILABLE IN: BLACK & SILVER - 46T/48T
CMY
K
17. VOLUME CUTTER
www.volumefixed.com
fo
anc e C ompone
rm
nt
-P
er
Pros:
i ned - 2 0 t
n
do
- S in
c e 19 48
-C
N
Who will ride this bike: Freestyle fixed riders who
don’t want to break their frame every few months,
anyone who rides their bikes hard, heavier riders
who need the extra strength
Verdict: Currently the best freestyle fixed frameset
available at this price point
on
C
ch
ma
ndor C yc l es - L
Excellent value, super strong, soid
ride, lifetime warranty.
Cons: not exactly light, not really one for
the racers
CONDOR/MICHE TRACK WHEELSET: £169.99
Co
Fixed
38 Fixed
CONDOR UNO HUBS: 32/36H - FROM £49.99 PAIR
AVAILABLE IN: GOLD, SILVER, BLACK, BLUE & RED
gain a stronger frame. I added a pair of mountain
bike forks, which allows it to barspin a 700c/32 tyre
with ease. The Cutter is a solid, reliable ride that will
stand up to pretty much any abuse you choose to
throw at it.
s-
With the rise of freestyle fixed and the fact that
regular track bikes just aren’t strong enough to be
jumped down stairs, it stands to reason that BMX
companies are at the forefront of custom freestyle
fixed bikes. FBM came first with the Sword and now
Volume have released the Cutter, which we took
delivery of back in December and since then I have
been using it as my everyday bike. Despite it’s BMX
heritage, the designers have looked carefully at
traditional track frames and have utilised a 74° headtube and 74° seattube to make sure that it’s tight
and fast on the streets. With a track geometry and a
heat-treated double-butted 4130 frame that comes
with a lifetime warranty, it rides like a track bike, but
it’s built like a tank. The best of both worlds. The
Cutter is available in three sizes: 50cm, 53cm and
56cm and while it’s not going to win any light weight
competitions, we’d rather add a few ounces and
CONDOR CNC SPROCKETS: £14.99
AVAILABLE IN: BLACK & SILVER
15T TO 20T
WWW.CONDORCYCLES.COM
TEL: 020 7269 6820
HOME TO THE TOUR DOWN UNDER, BEAUTIFUL
BEACHES AND THE BEST VINEYARDS IN THE WORLD,
THE (NOT SO) QUIET CITY ALSO HAS AN EMERGING
TRACK BIKE SCENE... BY MONIQUE KAWECKI.
PHOTO: SVEN KOVAC
&ROM
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40 Fixed
W
ith flat roads and benign
weather, there is no reason
not to pedal in Adelaide,
Australia. Still, I was so
surprised to come back
to my hometown and
find a thriving fixed gear scene. We have it
all – organised alleycats, carpark races, and
Tuesday Night Rides are all what bring the
community together, plus a beer or four in the
mix! Man, there is even Sunday Polo going on.
One of the smallest cities in Australia, we
still represent hard. The riders here kill it like
anywhere in the world – just without the ego.
I’m no longer surprised when the Tuesday
Night Rides are on – even when its 40
degrees centigrade outside. And although it is
compulsory to wear a helmet – and thats across
the country – no one is worried about helmethair, except for me.
That’s the mentality of most riders – and it
makes all the more fun riding here.
It’s a little different to riding in other parts
of the world like Paris or London. Our city is
fairly small (quality not quantity!), we have
long, straight roads and summer temperatures
can rise to 46 degrees centigrade – where the
air gets dry and you can cook an egg on the
concrete in a few minutes – and yes, I’ve tried it!
With a slightly smaller population than
the other states in Australia, the fixed gear
community here is tight and the vibe is great.
It is always exciting to see a new bike ride
past you on the street. Everyone tends to get
involved, so chances are you will know that
person within a few weeks.
The crew get together for all kinds of events,
and there is amazing support from stores
like Crumpler, Area 101 and North Adelaide
Cycles. In the past few months, there has
been the Mash Dash for Cash car park race,
the Ride Hard Photographic Exhib and also a
Council of Doom screening. Not to mention the
recent National Track Championship at the
Superdrome. And its not like there is a lack of
places to ride, some you just need to find…
In
350%2$2/-%
Often forgotten by urban cyclists, Adelaide is home
to the largest wooden Velodrome in the Southern
Hemisphere. Designed by track specialist Ron Webb,
the Adelaide Superdrome at Gepps Cross plays host
to a lot of events – both national and international.
Fridays are come-and-try nights, so that is the night
to go if you want to scope it out. That’s exactly
what a friend and I did and damn, it was good. We
couldn’t resist checking out the basement brimming
with track bikes, some new and some vintage.
It is an amazing sight. BT’s everywhere, Bianchi,
Malvern Star, Cinelli, you name it – they are all
there. The atmosphere is electric. And that’s before
you get onto your bike. Although the riders at the
‘drome are serious about their sport, they are fairly
approachable.
%$7!2$34/7.6%,,9
The outdoor velly at Edwardstown circles the football
oval there, is made from bitumen and not very steep
at all. It is just a short ride from the city to get there
and it’s a nice ride through suburbia.
#"$
The city in general is a great place to ride. The
layout of the CBD is in a grid, so that makes it pretty
hard to loser your way but easy to discover new
shortcuts. The traffic isn’t hectic – our peak hour isn’t
nearly as bad as off-peak in London, but the main
roads do get congested which makes weaving your
way through to the other city of the city more fun.
The Hindley Street carpark is also great for riding.
Once you get up the six levels, the rooftop is great
for chilling out, practising tricks and enjoying the
view. And if the city fumes get too much, a ride on
the River Torrens is only a few minutes away.
(!.').'/54
Tuesday Nights are organized by Jolan (myspace.
com/adelaidefixedgear). These rides can take us
anywhere, and suggestions for new routes are
always welcome. The usual riders are unpretentious,
fast and always good for a laugh. Alleycats are
mainly organised by Push the Envelope Bike
Messenger Assoc. and 517151K Dan Kouriah and he
always manages to find new routes in the CBD.
PHOTO: MONIQUE KAWECKI
42 Fixed
&2%3(!)2
We also have the most amazing beaches – blue
skies, clear ocean and white sand – yes, the
postcard was right. A ride along the esplanade at
Brighton beach at 9pm – sunset – is the hot tip. The
sky is filled with pink and purple haze whilst the
smell of the ocean intoxicates you. And a dip in the
ocean afterward is a given. It’s priceless.
&//$,)15/2
Starting (and/or finishing) any ride is best executed
with a drink at the Exeter, whilst the Austral is also
good for a pale ale. Both are on Rundle St – also
the best spot in town to perfect the art of peoplewatching. On the same street lies Vego & Lov’nit, the
vegetarian eatery with the best vegetarian lasagne
you will ever have. I can never go past Sushi Train
on Gouger Street. The service, food and green tea
(free!) is always just what I’m after. Still, being away
for two years I have a lot to catch-up on. The locals
know where its at. So I caught up with someone who
knows Adelaide inside out – Dan Kouriah, ADL FIXT
DONGORGON, to find out more about the rise and
rise of fixed in our city of Radelaide...
PHOTO: SVEN KOVAC
PHOTO: SVEN KOVAC
.
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PHOTO: SVEN KOVAC
My buddy Jesus Walrus returned from CMWC
Budapest 2001 UBER-hyped about trackbikes and
later that year after snapping another pursuit frame
I traded some parsley for a mate’s trackbike. The
frame was WAY too big for me & after six months
I had totally killed the rear wheel, what with R&D
adjusting my bunnyhopping technique. I kept killing
roadbikes until I won my orange Velocity wheels at
ACMC 2006 then grabbed an ancient Paconi and
its been on like Donkey Kong ever since. Many
couriers are forced to slap a brake on their whips as
their employer demands, unfortunately. Our weather
extremities will affect your tyre pressure, too – one
day will be super hot and dry, then when a cool
change comes, you’ll find your tyres are soggy!
7(!4!2%3/-%/&4(%"%34
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Fixed is bike and rider in harmony. Adelaide’s CBD
grid layout maze is just like a game of Pacman,
complete with bonus fruit at the Central Markets on
Gouger Street. The best spots to ride in Adelaide
are Edwardstown Velly, Greenhill Road Summit,
Superdrome at Gepps Cross (indoor 250m, wood
surface, 43° bank) and Linear Park. Fixed fever has
caught on in the southern reaches of Down Under.
When Adelaide is home to the Tour Down Under, it
looks as if every rider is lycra-clad. Right after the
44 Fixed
event, every second person is on two wheels – which
is great – as the it brings awareness and encourages
people to cycle. The government has (apparently)
put a lot of money into making our city more cycle
friendly, although I think it is the drivers who are not
aware.
7(!4!2%9/524(/5'(43
)+./79/5535!,,94%,,
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Drivers see us as an inconvenience. Make eye
contact as you would with a rabid dog and maintain
your legal right as an (ecologically sustainable) road
user. Yes, it’s freaky when the Tour Down Under is on
& cars suddenly start respecting cyclist’s right of way
(for a week, anyway) because they don’t want to run
over some famous rider!
7(%2%$/9/53%%&)8%$'%!2
2)$).').4(%&5452%
I see the thrill of bicycle riding and general dawning
of commuting logic becoming more & more apparent
as obnoxious commercial media uses desperate
tactics to sell their ridiculous petrol-based vehicles.
Of course fixed riding embodies this thrill. My 50:14
ratio may scale down, though – it’s way more likely
I’ll get my Piorelly happening soon.
Extra large ups to *ukJOSH193 *SHINO-ICHIBAN
*SUPERMIKE *nycSQUID&AMY *ausMACKA *ALL
PSYKLISS Kouriah KerbMonkeyz onelove* Sweet
blud FLEXXORZ
RIDE MORE
With such a relaxed attitude, plenty of spots to
check out and people to ride with, Adelaide is
definitely a city to make tracks in.
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I
t began, as most things do, with
a spark. Fixed Gear London were
invited to attend the Bright skate
tradeshow in Frankfurt, Germany, to
help spread the word of fixed gear.
The Suburbs crew, representing
Paris, also got the call, so we decided to
pool our resources and travel together. With
Paris and Frankfurt already on the itinerary,
it made sense to try and fit in some other
spots en-route and before we knew it, we
were planning a full-blown road trip.
46 Fixed
What really turns a spark into a flame is the
fuel you add. The internet and movies such
as Bootleg Sessions has brought fame to
riders like Superted from London and Tom
LaMarche and Tony Fast, two incredible
Philadelphians with totally different, but
equally rad, riding styles. We mentioned the
trip to them and before we could say ‘hell
yeah!’ they had booked their flights and we
were counting down the days. The crew was
to be SuperTed, Andypancake, Odge Wong,
Tom Lamarche, Tony Fast, Pouya Kamali, Ian
Sansom, Greg Falski (photographer) and
Myriam Gervais (filmer) – an amazing group
of people...
LONDON PART ONE BY ANDYPANCAKE
Tom and Tony had never even been to
London before, let alone France or Germany.
They arrived at the brand new Heathrow
Terminal 5 two days before we were due to
leave for Europe to get some riding done in
the city of London. Tom was the first person to
get hold of the new Charge Scissor frameset
that Ted had a hand in designing and the
Philadelphians both built up their bikes in a
matter of minutes. Swear down... it was that
quick.
Bagels were eaten every day from the
world famous shop on Brick Lane. There’s just
nothing else in London that is as cheap or
tasty and with our minimal budget, it became
a focus for our eating habits. That night we
went on a ride to Southbank, a legendary
skate spot and it was amazing to see Tom
and Tony ride in real life, not just on Bootleg
sessions or internet clips! I can’t believe the
stuff they had down – it made us want to ride
so much and it was good to have some fresh
and different input. We got up late the next
day to ride the new curves of the redesigned
Stockwell skatepark, before heading to
Wandsworth roundabout (famous as a BMX
spot and as the location for a scene in Stanley
Kubrick’s masterpiece ‘A Clockwork Orange’.
Tom and Ted’s BMX backgrounds shone
through as they consistently threw down new
and stylish tricks.
Soon it was time to leave London and
immerse ourselves in the culture of foreign
lands. We pulled out all the stops on the
transport front and got ourselves a pimped
48 Fixed
MASH-INSPIRED HILL BOMBING
IN THE WOODLAND AROUND
WUPPERTAL, GERMANY
PHOTO: IAN SANSOM
“WITH PARIS AND FRANKFURT ALREADY ON THE ITINERARY, IT
MADE SENSE TO TRY AND FIT IN SOME OTHER SPOTS EN-ROUTE AND
BEFORE WE KNEW IT, WE WERE PLANNING A FULL BLOWN ROAD TRIP”
2000 MILES OF DRIVING TAKES IT
OUT OF YOU. ODGE, ONE OF THE
TWO DRIVERS, CATCHES ZZZ’S
PHOTO: GREG FALSKI
out van that is normally used by bands on
tour who need a secure loading area and
room for plenty of people – just like us. With
two
nine seats, a DVD player, Playstation and
that
area
ng
loadi
huge
a
plus
ns,
scree
TV
would ultimately swallow thirteen bikes and
g
everyone’s gear for the week, we were rollin
nal.
termi
ferry
the
to
way
our
an
deep and
HERE
WIDE BARS, BIG TYRES AND
BMXINSPIRED TRICKS FROM TOM
PHOTO: GREG FALSKI
50 Fixed
PARIS BY IAN SANSOM
After a journey to a 24-hour supermarket
where we stocked up on all manner of road
food, we were set to go. England, being part
ass
of an island, is an expensive pain in the
ng,
crossi
ferry
our
two-h
to leave, involving a
le
25-mi
speed
high
the
for
train
a
or boarding
the
on
nel
Chan
sh
Engli
the
r
unde
ey
journ
but
Eurotunnel. The tunnel is really expensive
we
one
which
guess
–
the ferry is cheaper
ended up on? Tony, being a pussy, felt sick
,
the moment we pulled away from the shore
r,
mirro
a
as
even though the sea was as flat
so he noisily and messily made himself sick
over the railings. Tom got introduced to the
British culinary delight that is the Scotch Egg
– breaded sausage meat wrapped around a
boiled egg. He didn’t know whether to eat it,
juggle with it or throw it overboard. Soon we
were motoring through France, paying road
tolls every 20 miles or so and a few hours later
arrived on the outskirts of Paris. We hooked
up with the Suburbs crew at a clothing
“WE PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS ON THE
TRANSPORT FRONT AND RENTED A PIMPED
OUT VAN THAT IS NORMALLY USED BY
BANDS ON TOUR WHO NEED A SECURE
LOADING AREA AND ROOM FOR PLENTY OF
PEOPLE – JUST LIKE US”
“WE HEADED TO WANDSWORTH ROUNDABOUT, FAMOUS AS BOTH
A BMX SPOT AND A LOCATION FOR A SCENE IN STANLEY KUBRICK’S
MASTERPIECE ‘A CLOCKWORK ORANGE”
ABOVE
MCDONALDS MEANT CHEAP FOOD
AND FREE INTERNET
PHOTO: IAN SANSOM
RIGHT
WANDSWORTH ROUNDABOUT,
LONDON TOOK A HAMMERING
PHOTO: GREG FALSKI
store called Pigalle and spent a couple of
– some ende
d up at Nordi
ne’s (who ha
hours excitedly riding around city. Paris
most of the la
d spent
st year living
in London), ot
is unusual, as it seems to go to sleep at
at Laura’s, an
hers
d the rest sle
pt in the van.
ten pm and traffic levels drop to almost
Day two in th
e city of love
rs dawned
overcast and
nothing, which means you’re free to ride
grey, so we he
aded to a
the streets as much as you like – awesome. McDonalds to
use the intern
et and get ou
We rode to the Eiffel Tower and all around of caffeine to
r fix
wake up. Our
destination fo
day was the
the back streets, sessioning a few spots
r the
globe spot in
the north of
a part-sculpt
along the way. We were taken to a series
the city,
ure, part-skat
e spot that fe
in Ted’s part
of flat banks with a good sized gap that
atured
of the Bootle
g Sessions 2
It’s a mini siz
Tom cleared first go, much to our host’s
movie.
ed bowl, with
a huge curv
wallride that
surprise – apparently no one had tried
ed
goes over ve
rt,
which makes
perfect to ca
it on a fixed before, yet Tom rolled up
it
rve around an
d air out of,
the boys set
and did it like it was no thing. With our
which
about doing
right right aw
Before long
budget of next to nothing, the deal was
ay.
a huge rang
e
of tricks wer
getting done
that we’d split up and sleep wherever
e
– Ted pulled
a toboggan
wheel grab,
the Suburbs crew had room for us
and
before getting
a bunny hop
out
52 Fixed
SEQUENCE
WITH GNARLY PARISIAN KIDS LOOKING
ON, TOM SLAYS THE GLOBE SPOT
PHOTO: GREG FALSKI
54 Fixed
HERE
TONY FAST DODGES THE DROOGS
AT WANDSWORTH ROUNDABOUT
PHOTO: GREG FALSKI
HERE
‘OK, I GIVE UP... WHERE ARE ZE
BRAKES?’ WUPPERTAL, GERMANY
PHOTO: IAN SANSOM
elie around it
of the bowl to one handed whe
got silly as Tom
and back in, but then things
the ante with a
ing
threw barspins, before upp
l.
bow
huge 360 out of the
s and so
With only a short time in Pari
into one
lot
a
k
pac
to
had
we
do,
to
much
roll with
to
time
day, so after eating it was
. They
crew
Fixe
on
Suburbs and the Pign
tre that
cen
g
ppin
sho
ered
cov
took us to a
ers and
BMX
and
flatl
,
ters
ska
with
e
was aliv
things
kly
quic
very
confused pedestrians but
ng the
killi
y
Ton
with
ion
developed into a sess
k in,
stuc
ing
gett
Tom
and
Ted
flatland and
ss the city to a
too. Next was a long ride acro
t incredible
mos
housing estate that has the
t but with
spo
sick
a
,
flat bank architecture
long
last
’t
didn
we
rs,
ride
e
twenty or mor
headed
we
so
out
ed
kick
ing
gett
before
Despite being
back to the middle of the city.
Paris is
pe,
Euro
in
s
one of the major citie
s less
take
and
ll
sma
tty
pre
ally
geographic
of
lot
a
ss –
than 30 minutes to ride acro
ll area and we
culture is crammed into a sma
lore. Ted and
exp
to
time
e
wished we had mor
mised me
pro
he
t;
nigh
that
van
I slept in the
e up if
wak
ld
wou
he was a light sleeper and
ut
abo
,
ugh
eno
there was any trouble. Sure
56 Fixed
4am I heard someone trying to break into the
back, before seeing their ugly mugs pressed
against the window, checking if there was
anything worth stealing. A quick kick on the
glass and they realised that someone was
inside so they legged it as fast as possible.
Ted? He slept through the whole thing...
FRANKFURT BY ODGE WONG
We left Paris and drove for what seemed like
forever before we arrived in Frankfurt. We
headed towards Tobi from the clothing store
Azita and Susie’s apartment, who had kindly
agreed to nine of us sharing their living room
with Dexter, their dog. While driving through
the city it became apparent from the night
skyline, towering skyscrapers and modern
architecture that the city was every inch the
financial center of Europe it is famed to be.
This made us even more eager to park up the
van and get on our bikes. Our legs needed
the stretch and so we were off attacking the
streets, sessioning a few spots but retired after
a couple of hours.
Thanks to it’s excellent transport links,
Frankfurt hosts many international trade
“AS WE UNLOADED OUR VAN, AN OFF-DUTY
POLICEMAN WARNED US THAT WE WERE
BEING WATCHED AND THAT WE COULD GET
FINED IF WE WERE THINKING OF RIDING OUR
BRAKELESS BIKES DOWN THAT BIG HILL”
fairs which was why we went
– to attend the Bright skateboard
tradeshow. We made our way
to the venue in the old police
headquarters, which is only
used for the tradeshow these
days, so the rooms and interiors
only change with the new
installations from companies
attending each time. Bright
had invited us to set up an area
dedicated to fixed gear bikes
and were to share the space
with the Suburbs Crew of Paris.
On the third floor of the building
was a wooden bowl with cradle
corner and we knew we had to
get there before all the skaters
turned up. It was rad! Really
tight on a fixed gear bike
but we managed to session
it for an hour or so, carving
up pretty much over 90° – on
the full pipe corner bowl and
Tony was getting barspins out
of the coping. When we found
our way to the fixed gear
area we noticed there was a flatb
ank setup in there.
Stoked! It needed a lick of fresh
paint but after it dried
we all sessioned that bank fully
. Bunny-hops, wall rides,
bunnyhop 180s, Tony ’s bar-spin
s and SuperTed’s bunnyhop
no-handers were going down
the first day, but soon
Tom got bunnyhop 360s and bun
nyhop barspins on the
flatbank. I’m guessing you’ve
seen the video by Renaud of
Suburbs doing the rounds on the
blogs, but if you haven’t,
track it down because it’s sick
. Ian and I also had a little
flat session and both got bunnyh
op bar-spins – super
stoked with that. Ian’s front whe
el was looking a little worse
for wear afterwards – with ripp
les around the spoke holes
– ruined.
The next day was mainly spen
t exposing fixed
gear bikes and culture to the
visitors. Predominantly a
skateboarding and streetwea
r event, it was pleasantly
surprising how much this indu
stry already knew about
fixed gear bikes and our crew
. Later in the afternoon while
some of us went to see the scre
ening of “Beautiful Losers”
the others went out to ride som
e street, with Pouya taking
us to some famous skate spots.
Tom hopped a huge gap
from one grind block to the othe
r at Bockenheimer, a
famous street spot with banks
and ledges, while SuperTed
did a sprocket grind to 180 out
on the same grind block.
BIG BANKS AND GENERATORS
EQUALS A FUN TIME FOR ODGE
WONG IN GERMANY
SUPERTED’S BMX EXPERIENCE
AT WANDSWORTH PAYS OFF ON
HIS 700C
PHOTO: GREG FALSKI
PHOTO: GREG FALSKI
“THIS TRIP WAS ONE OF THOSE SUPER SPECIAL TIMES THAT WE’RE GOING TO REMEMBER
FOREVER. IT WAS AWESOME TO GET SUCH A TIGHT CREW AND TRAVEL EUROPE TOGETHER,
JUST TO HAVE FUN ON OUR BIKES”
58 Fixed
NO FOOTED AIR TO FAKIE AT THE
MOST FUN SCHOOL YOU’LL NEVER
ATTEND – FRANKFURT, GERMANY
TED SUDDENLY REMEMBERED THAT
HE HADN’T TIGHTENED HIS FRONT
WHEEL PROPERLY
PHOTO: GREG FALSKI
PHOTO: GREG FALSKI
On our way back to Bright, SuperTed pulled
an insanely fast sprocket grind on ledge that
sits horizontal next to five steps. The drop off
was big! That evening we decided to join
a dinner party from the hosts of Bright, and
found ourselves eating a free buffet-styled
dinner and necking plenty of free alcohol.
As the evening progressed, everyone started
to get loose and moved to the dance floor,
especially Tom with his unique fist-clenching
style. Although a bit drunk, we moved to
another party at the Robert Johnson club
in nearby Offenbach, the ride there was
awesome as we were in a fifteen plus group
riding in the dark alongside the River
Main. I don’t know how we managed to
ride the same route home, but we made in
unharmed.
On Sunday, our last day at Bright, we
knew we had to get out and do some more
filming. We had been told about a school
in a nearby town and eventually grouped
together to drive there in the van. It was
really cold, icy and pitch black, but luckily
we brought a generator and after climbing a
few fences and setting up the lights we were
exposed to this amazing school playground.
It has to be one of the best spots I’ve seen,
with banks and transitions everywhere. At
first we concentrated on one big bank on the
corner closest to where we entered, but we
soon adapted to the darkness and ventured
to the other end of the playground where
there was a square bowl with banks on the
outside. They were quite steep, so at first it
was difficult to negotiate. Nevertheless it was
the some of the most fun I have had in one
session. Nordine was getting radical and
brakeless bikes down that big hill. He was
pretty friendly, so we decided to be subtle to
out reach the long arm of the law. I’d had an
crash in Paris and pretty much broken my
bike, so I got out the duct tape to bandage
my down tube, hoping that it would last to the
bottom of the hill at least. Bombing that hill
was a rush and we re-ran the lower section to
film a couple of shots, before riding through
the town centre and ending at a square full
of ledges. I managed to film some grinds
getting some big bunny-hops on the steep
banks, something he hadn’t tried before.
The next morning we had to pack down
and leave for the journey home. We had
timed it so that we would have just enough
time to visit the city of Wuppertal on the way
– it’s probably the most famous BMX spot in
Europe as the city seems to have been built
for bikes, and seeing as is was only a short
diversion on our trip home, we figured it was
worth a flying visit.
60 Fixed
Wuppertal by SuperTed
I had heard a lot about Wuppertal and how
the city was covered in amazing spots – it
sounded like heaven. It had been a long and
hard trip and I for one was super tired and
aching and some of the bikes were broken,
too. When we arrived, we found the town was
located in a valley, so we drove up a long
hill to find an amazing view across the city
below. We decided that we had to bomb the
hill but as we unloaded the bikes from our
van, an off-duty policeman warned us that
we were being watched and that we could
get fined if we were thinking of riding our
until my bike finally ended up in pieces,
completely unrideable. Tom was getting
some sick nose wheelies on a block, too.
We met up with Mike Emde, the BMX team
manager for Carhartt, so he could show us
around his city. He has owns a BMX shop
called The Local Face, which we checked
out and it was amazing. There were so many
great spots to hit, but not enough time to ride
them all – we were due on the ferry in a few
hours and there was just too much to see.
First, Mike took us to a
really good snake run,
a relic from the 70’s era
of skateboarding where
Tom spotted a gap from
a berm, dropping down
to land on steep slope.
He went for it, but ran
into a giant rock at
full speed on the run
out, flipping over his
bars and somehow
managing to miss
landing on a steel
fence – it would have
been very bad news if
he had. Luckily, he got
away with no injuries
at all but his frame
had taken all the
force of impact and
was destroyed.
Neither Tom or I
had bikes to ride and
to be honest, we were
a little tired, despite
how rad Wuppertal
was. Lots of amazing
riding had already
happened, and with
the trip coming to
an end, we decided
THAT PAGE
THE AZITA BANK AT BRIGHT WAS
SESSIONED ALL WEEKEND
PHOTO: GREG FALSKI
THIS PAGE
AN EXPENSIVE SPROCKET GRIND IN
FRANKFURT’S FINANCIAL DISTRICT
PHOTO: GREG FALSKI
but stayed and watched the locals going off,
doing big flairs and whips, which was pretty
cool. We then went for what I thought was the
best meal of the trip. Mike took us to a kebab
shop and sorted us out with some tasty wraps.
I was hungry and totally broke, so the food
felt amazing. Thanks Mike! We just about had
time to dash the four hours back to the ferry
port and our journey back to England.
SUPERTED, WELL OVERVERT IN A
BOWL DESIGNED FOR WHEELS A
TENTH OF THE SIZE
PHOTO: GREG FALSKI
just to scope out the city for a return visit in
the summer. Mike took us to the most amazing
skatepark we’d ever seen. There was smooth
wood everywhere – even the flooring! The
ramp setup was really cool with a good size
jump box and spine and a nice big wallride.
The most amazing part was the wooden bowl
in a separate room – a bowl with a spine
and two wallrides – we didn’t ride the park,
62 Fixed
Return to London – by Tony Fast.
There hasn’t really been that much time
to type the epic story of mine and Tom’s
adventure through Europe with the Fixed
Gear London blokes. We are on the final
leg of our journey back to London: broken,
bruised, and with some incredible memories.
Some are blurry from booze-sodden
escapades and gut wrenching laugher. At
this point, I cant even recount all the cities
and borders I have crossed , but I wouldn’t
doubt that the trail of farts emanating from
the van would make it quite easy to find my
way back.
Some of the things that stand out for me
from this trip are... throwing bread rolls at
passing cars in Paris, SuperTed drunk and
passed out, Tom getting the Euro dance
bug and totally going off in a rave club for
two hours, waiting for the other slow poke
assholes to stop jerking each other off and
get on the road every morning, driving,
driving, driving, driving, driving, smoking
muthafucking hash in Paris, Eating bagels,
making everywhere we went smell like ass,
Odge painting the ramp in some weird pants,
drinking beers, eating shitty German food
and having to stop being a vegetarian in
order to survive, having the best birthday of
my life when we got back to London and then
crying because we had to leave the next day.
RIGHT
SOME PEOPLE JUST MAKE IT ALL
LOOK TOO EASY – BIG GAP IN
FRANKFURT
PHOTO: IAN SANSOM
THE END?
This trip was one of those super special times
that we’re going to remember forever. It was
awesome to get such a tight crew and travel
Europe together, just to have fun on our bikes.
It was great to see the riding from Tom, Tony
and SuperTed. The guys from Suburbs were
really cool it was good hang with them. Greg
and Miriam did a good job capturing all the
action on and off he bikes. We’ve been bitten
by the road trip bug, but what’s next? There’s
rumours floating around now of an East Coast
USA trip set to take place in September and
featuring many of the same crew. Watch this
space for developments.
THANKS
None of this would have been possible
without all the sponsors helping us out.
Thanks to Carhartt, Vans, Continental,
Tokyofixedgear, Red Bull, Streetwear Today,
Azita, 14 Bike Co and the Bright trade show.
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ANOTHER FIRST ON THIS TRIP, BUNNY
HOP BARSPIN TO FAKIE, SLIDER TO
NOSE MANNY OUT – SICK, TOM!
PHOTO: GREG FALSKI
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VIE IS HERE...
SOCAL’S NEWEST FIXED GEAR MO
As scenes emerge through the world, focussed individuals are
documenting their growth and bringing them to the wider fixed
gear community. Jeff Schmidt from Council of Doom has done
just that and now the movie is on release.
FM: Tell us a little about the film and how it
was made
JS: We filmed in Costa Mesa, Newport Beach,
Laguna Beach, Dana Point, Long Beach, San
Pedro, Los Angeles, Santa Ana and Mammoth
Mountain. Filming lasted from late December
‘07 to late July ‘08. We were filming almost up
until the moment we released it. I think we
finished editing the night before the RVCA
premiere.
FM: How did you select the riders? Are they all
friends or did you hear about them through
the grapevine?
JS: Doom had always been a close group of
friends. Nick and I lived with each other before,
and throughout, production. I got in touch with
the Kolture Vultures in early summer after I saw
their first trailer on T-Rex, and realised that
they lived around me. We went out five or six
times, and the rest is history. Torey has the best
story. I had been getting emails from him for
over a year before we were filming – little stuff
like how to trackstand or about bike parts, etc.
Then in January, he starts sending me ripping
footage, and I offered him a spot on the team.
I’ve still yet to meet him in person... It kind of
bums me out, because I know that he’s a really
great kid.
THE POSITIVE POWER
“I WHOLE HEARTEDLY BELIEVE IN
OF CYCLING, AND IT WOULD BE LOVELY TO SEE MORE
PEOPLE GET OUT OF THEIR CARS FOR BIKES AND TO
DO SOMETHING POSITIVE WITH THEIR LIVES.”
FM: What were some of the difficulties associated with making a bike movie?
JS: Time was a major constraint. We had set
a premiere date before we were anywhere
near completing the movie. In the end, this
was a motivation to get everything done in a
timely fashion, but we were filming three days
a week for almost eight months. Tricks take a
long time to get down on film. We could spend
an hour on two seconds of footage. The most
challenging thing for me was capturing riding
shots. We rarely had access to a car, and
couldn’t afford a scooter, so a large part of it
was filmed one-handed or with a super ghetto
bicycle helmet cam rig. There was a ton of trial
and error throughout the movie given that we
had no filming or editing backgrounds – it was
a serious DIY production, but I believe that it
ultimately works.
THE PICTURES BRING THE MESSAGE
– ON SET DURING PRODUCTION OF
THE MOVIE
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PHOTO: COUNCIL OF DOOM
ONE OF THE FIRST FIXED GEAR MOVIES,
DOOM IS HELPING TO BUILD THE PATH
FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW
PHOTOS: COUNCIL OF DOOM
LIFEA REALLY EXCITING TIME IN MY
“IT’S
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD GET TO TRAVEL
JUST FOR RIDING.“
FM: Where do you see this fixed thing going?
Do you think it’s going to get huge?
JS: Let’s face it, to many people, a track bike
is the new handbag – I feel like a dick saying
that, but that seems to be the reality where I
live. I whole heartedly believe in the positive
power of cycling, and it would be lovely to see
more people get out of their cars for bikes and
to do something positive with their lives. You
really can do anything on these bikes, so I think
they have a broad appeal to someone looking
to try something new. Ultimately, I think that
the scene needs to ditch the elitist element and
adopt a more egalitarian approach to new
riders in order to keep growing.
FM: What’s next for Doom?
JS: We’ve just started to work on a 20 minute
short for internet/BFF release this summer. We’re
going to be filming in India for a full-length
documentary with Bastien Lattanzio in the early
summer, and then we’ll leave for a brakelessfixed trip from OC to NYC in late summer,
depending on us getting the budget together.
Till then, we’ll keep touring the first movie,
and promoting that as much as possible. It’s a
really exciting time in my life – I never thought
that I would get to travel just for riding. We’ve
gotten to meet a host of rad people, and look
forward to a future of seeing of the world from
the saddle of our bikes. THANKS!
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E:CI67>@:
WWW.685PENTABIKE.BLOGSPOT.COM
THERE ARE SOME IMAGES THAT JUST WORK. WHEN DAVE STRUNK FIRST
DREW THE PENTABIKE IMAGE IN 1991, LITTLE DID HE KNOW THAT IT
WOULD SPREAD AROUND THE WORLD, ENDING UP AS T-SHIRT DESIGNS,
STENCILS AND EVEN TATTOOS.
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR BIKE RIDING
HISTORY.
I rode BMX bikes in my youth. I had a killer PK
Ripper in 1982, moved out of my parents house
when I was 17 and by the age of 18 I already had
two shitty road bikes and my first mountain bike.
My friend Mark and I rode all over the city and the
foothills outside of Denver, CO... Of course, we didn’t
have cars, so it was all pedal power.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO COME UP WITH THE
PENTABIKE IMAGE? ARE YOU A METALHEAD?
Metal? Well, I guess you could say that I am to a
degree, but first and foremost I was into punk rock.
Back in those days, I didn’t really need inspiration
to do anything. I was spending too much time in
elevators as a courier and needed something to do
with my hands. I’m a fidgety kind of guy by nature.
HAD YOU THOUGHT OF MIXING THE
PENTAGRAM AND BIKE IMAGES BEFOREHAND,
OR WAS IT JUST SPUR OF THE MOMENT?
I’ve always had a fondness for the varied adverse
reactions people would give when they saw
something ‘controversial’, like an iron cross or and
upside down star. The design started just as a star
originally, then once I was fully emerged into courier
culture, I added the wheels to make the Pentabike.
WHEN AND WHY
DID YOU DECIDE
TO START SELLING
PENTABIKE
PRODUCTS?
The logo sat dormant
for around 15 years, and
then resurfaced in limited
quantities through a local
courier/entrapaneur as
well as a mutual friend.
I was surprised to see it
again, and wanted to do
something more with it.
I can honestly say that
if it wasn’t for my great
friend Stevil at Swobo,
none of this would even
be up for discussion. He
has been instrumental in
getting me off my ass.
THOSE SOCKS LOOK
DOPE! T’S AND SO ON ARE PRETTY EASY TO
MAKE, BUT SOCKS? WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO
START MAKING THEM?
Thanks! Michael at Sock
Guy contacted me via
Stevil with the idea to
make them. He was
the very first person to
actually take stock in
my logo and put it out to
the market for purchase.
That being said, I will
never purchase another
cycling sock from another vendor – except maybe
Swobo.
DO YOU FEEL THAT CREATIVITY AND BEING A
MESSENGER HAVE A LOT IN COMMON?
Yes! Bike messengers are a different breed and live
on the fringe. Most of them will gladly shell our good
money for quality bike goods or apparel, but strip
their needs down to a minimum in other areas. Most
are well travelled, educated and have lots of street
smarts. When you deal with fringe establishments,
like punk rock kids and the like, you tend to reveal
the more diversified and sometimes hidden talents.
Couriers are definitely talented and creative as far as
what I have seen.
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WHAT’S NEXT FOR PENTABIKE
All I can say is that we have a killer product being
prototyped at this very moment that will hopefully
have a welcome
reception in the circles
that I travel in. I’m also
open to any suggestions,
critiques or ideas.
One last thing. I would
very much like to thank
all those who have
supported Pentabike,
purchased goods since
the blog’s creation and posted or linked me on the
blogs and web pages. This is truly the DIY mentality
manifesting itself in modern times and without these
types of people I wouldn’t be here.
Pentabike is a low-brow, low-overhead, lowexpectation ‘business’ with the desire to provide
quality items at fair prices to those who want
something a little different and a little rock ‘n’ roll.
KISS THE GOAT
-685-
A brief photodocumentary into the
Canadian fixed gear culture and
the communities that support and
encourage the right to “Ride On”
Words and photos by Greg Falski
ast year, I travelled to Quebec,
Canada to see my girl, Myriam, meet
her family and then road trip across
the country. During my years as a
downhill MTB racer I had met some people
and wanted to go to Vancouver to see first
hand one of the best places to ride in the
country – maybe to stay for a while, or even
settle? Neither of us knew at that point.
We packed up her car and headed off across
the country, no documents, no sleep: just a
map and music. The trip across that vast
country takes four to five days with beautifully
diverse countryside of mountains, plains and
cities. Vancouver was stunning on arrival:
beautiful architecture, bridges, boats and,
luckily for us, a very simple road system. We
soon found where we were staying, dumped
our bags and headed out for a ride in town.
We had a couple of Myriam’s bikes and even
though they were slow, I was pleased to cruise
around in the sunshine and not be stuck in a
car anymore.
We soon saw some local couriers riding fixed
and a few new no-brake freestylers. We tried to
keep up on our mountain bikes, while asking
about meetings and a local spot to ride; they
were a little offish at the questions we put to
them, replying that they did not know of any
people who ‘met up to do tricks’. Maybe it was
the (to them) kooky bikes we were riding, so we
left, or actually let them race off downtown.
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“We soon saw some
local couriers riding
fixed and a few new no
brake freestylers.”
I had been to Whistler to snowboard the year
before and while I was there I had read about
ex-pro snowboarder Tyler Lepore who had quit
the pro life to open a fixed gear bike shop in
downtown Vancouver called Super Champion.
I looked it up on a map and planned a trip
for the following day. Funnily enough, I had
just received my copy of the first issue of this
magazine from the guys in London, which was
great as I could show the shop what the scenes
were like elsewhere in the world.
Myriam had planned some project for the
day, so it was just me and my camera so I
headed downtown to Hastings Street, a road
like no other in Vancouver. Unfortunately, it’s
both home and hangout spot for many of the
city’s junkies and the smell of H as I cycled
by slapped my face so hard it made me stop
stone cold. It was a horrible sight and one that
I couldn’t bring myself to photograph: these
were desperate souls who didn’t seem to be
aware of me or anything but the hit. A real
tragedy in any city.
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I got off my bike and was slightly spun out
from the sight, turning around my attention
was drawn to a huge steam powered clock
that had some kids riding around it, They had
skills, but were joking around and just riding
round a concrete slabbed seating area. It was
then that I saw the shop – SUPER CHAMPION
– on the corner and it was a sight for sore eyes.
The glass exterior and sparse wooden layout
inside made it look more like a gallery, and
inside was just as sweet: new bars, rims, clothes
sick track frames and a workshop. I wandered
around and was greeted enthusiastically
by Tyler Lepore himself. Exchanges and
introductions were made and I told him of my
travels and search of photo documentation
about the fixed scene in Vancouver. He was
interested in my quest and we talked at length
about the bikes and riding. I left the mag in the
shop and headed off to a nearby spot where
he said I might find some riders. I thanked
him, took some photos and said I would be in
touch.
“As I turn up in
the shadows
I see a guy
wheeliing
across a
b-ball court.”
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NEWS
The ride was short and the weather was
good for light and cloud. As I turned up in
the shadows I saw a guy wheelieing across
a basketball court, so I sneaked a few shots
from a distance before I went to introduce
myself. Everything worked out perfectly, it
turned out I was just in time for others to show.
These riders meet on Tuesdays and Fridays
for a ride, a chat, a helping hand. The crew
was fun, engaging and happy for me to take
photos. They greeted me with wide grins and
carried on riding around while I changed
film. After half an hour we were a crew of ten
and everyone was a little intrigued by my
appearance. They were keen to hear about
London and the riding there, but they joked
about my bike and I took that as a good sign,
We rode around some nice alleys, bridges and
took in the riverside parades and gangways.
They shouted at each other, endings jibes with
“Ride on bro!” and explained that they ride
for the true love of being ON the bike. They
seemed very supportive of the courier riders
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and knew a few, but said that they tend to
stick to their own. I liked them a lot and they
seemed a very supportive group, varied in
sex, age, background and ability. We stopped
for snacks and chatted some more while spots
were sessioned. I lost track of my surroundings
and concentrated on my photos instead.
Evening came and as they split into smaller
groups ,we exchanged details and I rode
home. Back through the city, past some more
kids who were strolling around downtown,
I contemplated the bike and how good it is
for kids to see other groups such as the one
I was just with, the camaraderie and fun that
can tempt them away from the boredom that
street life can have. I wished I had more time
in Vancouver as it is a very upbeat city, the
streets are very clean and the city is set up
for bikes. Everyone who can should definitely
visit the city, and especially should check out
Super Champion!
Spin to Win
A 1950’s favourite returns
In the post-war years, with the UK’s industrial
workforce staring at the beginning of a terminal decline, inexpensive, crowd participation
events began to flourish. Cycling – the Formula
One of it’s day for the average man on the street
– enjoyed a renaissance, with more participants
and eager spectators than ever before.
Roller Racing – where two racers battle it out
on static rollers, with their progress measured
on a huge dial behind them – became a
popular spectator sport, with events drawing
crowds to ballrooms, cinemas and even luxury
hotels such as the Savoy. The racing was often
accompanied by dancing girls and big bands,
to make the whole affair into a great night out
and not just a way for bike geeks to get their fix.
It got to the point where there were professional
racers who would tour the country taking on –
and of course, beating – all-comers, but as the
motor car became cheaper and more popular,
cycling faded from the public spotlight and
roller racing faded with it.
Things changed back in 1999 when “Goldsprints” (the European name for rollerracing)
was featured at the European Cycle Messenger Championships in Zurich. Keen to launch
something similar in the UK, Greg Tipper
promoted the first London Courier “Goldsprints”
with the help of other couriers, more than a few
of which were also keen track racers. The event,
held at the Horseshoe pub in Clerkenwell was
a huge success and some of the people who
attended established Rollapaluza, who since
2000 have been dedicated to reviving this near
forgotten sport in the UK.
TWO RIDERS, HEAD TO HEAD – ADD A
LOT OF SHOUTING, ENERGY AND BEER
AND YOU HAVE A WINNER
ALL PHOTOS: WWW.TOMOLDHAM.COM
Rollapaluza nights recreate the spectacle
of the roller racing days of old, with live DJs,
bands and screaming spectators urging on
their friends – it’s an inclusive event where
everyone is encouraged to race and many do.
With almost zero resistance on the wheels and
no forward motion to worry about, hypothetical
speeds over the 500m or 1000m course reach
astronomical proportions – the current record,
set by Matt Crampton, stands at 17.90 seconds
over 500m, which works out at 100.6km/h or
62.51mph!
The resurgence of roller racing is global
phenomenon, with events taking off in the US
as well as Europe and beyond, partly fuelled
by the rise in popularity of cycling. With a lot
of beer, a lot of screaming and a lot of exerted
energy, what’s not to like?
www.rollapaluza.com
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PHOTOS: GREG FALSKI
ARTISAN
In almost every country in the world, small workshops are
turning out incredible, hand-built products built with a
passion, pride and attention to detail that is hard to match
and it’s high time these people were recognised. This is the
first in a series for Fixed Magazine.
Questions by Ian Sansom
NAME: Lee Cooper
TRADE: Frame builder
LOCATION: Coventry, England
F: WHAT’S YOUR HISTORY BUILDING BIKE
FRAMES? WHERE DID IT ALL START?
LC: My first job was at Triumph motorcycles, then I
worked building grasstrack and speedway motorcycles, as a mechanic – fixing bikes, building engines
and repairing frames. At the time my mate worked
for a guy called Tom Bromwich, a framebuilder in
Coventry, and I got a job with them. The first job I did
was shotblasting before learning MIG welding, gas
welding and working my way up, the way everyone
used to. Eventually I decided to set up for myself.
F: WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU USE?
LC: Well, I only work in steel. No aluminium or titanium or any of that stuff. I’m equally happy working
with Columbus or Reynolds. I find that the harder
grade tubes means I get through tools a little quicker,
but I like to work with them as well.
F: HOW DO YOU PREFER TO BUILD FRAMES?
WITH LUGS?
LC: There’s something about that old school style
that I really like. You can get a really classic result.
You do get a really beautiful finish with a fillet braze,
though, and I build a lot of those kind of frames as
well. I can build whatever the customer wants and
what works best for them. I don’t like to TIG weld.
I’ve done it in the past, and I can do it well, but I just
find that fillet brazing has a little bit more give in it,
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which is perfect for a steel frame. I think it’s a stronger join and it looks a lot better as well. It definitely
shows the quality – and whether a frame is built in
the UK, or in Taiwan.
F: DO YOU FIND THAT YOU’RE BUILDING A LOT
OF TRACK FRAMES THESE DAYS?
LC: Yes, I’d say most of what I build are track bikes
now, much more than touring bikes, road bikes, or
anything else for that matter. I think that style and the
techniques that are used to build them have been
honed to the point that they’re pretty much perfect,
but I’m always open to change and experimentation.
F: ON THAT NOTE, TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT
THE FIXED GEAR FREESTYLE FRAME YOU’RE
WORKING ON FOR 14 BIKE CO.
LC: We’ve taken my experience, and their ideas, and
mixed them together to come up with something
new. We’ve spent a lot of time on R&D and produced
a number of prototypes which we have refined into
something exciting. It reminds me of the early days
of BMX. I’ve been watching the YouTube stuff you
guys are doing on fixed bikes and it’s just amazing.
We’re at a point where there are no rules and you
can do what you want. I’m actually building five different styles of bikes for 14 Bike Co, from a standard
track bike, to a curved lo-pro as well as the trick
bike, so there should be something for everyone.
CHECK OUT LEE’S WORK AT
WWW.14BIKECO.COM
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FLIP FLOP
MIKE GIANT
Mike Giant has been based primarily out of New Mexico and San Francisco
since 1979. He has made a name for himself with his distinct style, which draws
influences from the graffiti, skate, tattoo, bike, and Chicano worlds. In addition
to exhibiting around the world, he keeps himself busy as head illustrator for
REBEL8 and plans to launch an adult magazine this year. Luckily he found
some time to answer a couple quick questions.
Questions by: 401 Rush
WHAT’S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TRACK BIKES
IN YOUR WORK?
I draw pictures about things that interest me, and
I just love bicycles, especially fixed gear. There are
few things in life more exciting or satisfying than
mashing top-speed up and down San Francisco’s
hills on a track bike. Every car I pass makes my
smile wider and my heart more open. It’s the shit!
HOW DID YOU GET INTO TRACK BIKES?
Many of my graffiti writing partners in the mid-90’s
rode track bikes, lots of them were messengers
as well. In 1999 I traded a bike messenger friend
a tattoo for my first conversion fixie. In 2001, the
same guy sold me my first track bike. It was an
early 80’s Gitane. I rode it until last year, then left it
in Amsterdam to continue its life there.
DO YOU SEE A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE
SKATE AND THE FIXED SCENE?
Well, many of us older guys used to skate, but
injuries take their toll and track bikes can offer the
same adrenaline rush with less destruction to your
body. And of course, skateboards and track bikes
don’t have brakes per se, which really keeps you
connected to the road in a similar way.
WAS GIVING UP TATTOOING A CONSCIOUS
EFFORT TO FOCUS MORE ON YOUR
ILLUSTRATION WORK?
Tattooing is really hard on my body, mind, and
heart. I just couldn’t keep doing it full-time.
I continue to tattoo small things on friends about
once a month though. But doing it much more than
that just isn’t fun anymore.
HERE
MIKE’S PRIMARY FORM OF TRANSPORT IN THE CITY IS HIS BIKE
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PHOTO: JEFF LUGER
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE CITIES? WHERE
DO YOU STILL WANT TO SEE?
Paris is definitely a favourite. It has such a rich art
history. It’s always an honour to show there. Japan
is always a favourite destination as well, particularly
Osaka. I haven’t been to Berlin yet, and I’d love to
show there. I’d love to show somewhere in South
America, too. I’ve never been down there.
WHAT ARTIST WOULD YOU LOVE TO WORK
WITH? LIVING OR DEAD.
Aubrey Beardsley, mostly just to kick it with him.
From what I can gather in biographies, he was an
interesting fellow. His ability to capture sensuality
in his drawings continues to elude me in my work.
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WHAT DO YOU DO ON YOUR DAY OFF?
I don’t have days off. I work every day, and play
every day. It’s a nice balance. I find that my body
and mind work better on a regular, but loose, daily
schedule. On the high end, it can feel like I’m still
21 and every day is a Saturday!
CHECK OUT MIKE’S WORK AT
WWW.MIKEGIANT.COM
BIKE CHECK
DUSTIN KLEIN
DESCRIBE YOUR BIKE SET UP IN TEN WORDS
OR LESS:
A light, dented trick bike
WHAT PART DO YOU WEAR THROUGH OR
BREAK THE QUICKEST?
I’d say tires & grips
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE COLOUR SCHEME
FOR YOUR BIKE?
I always work with what I’ve got
HOW OFTEN DO YOU GET FLAT TYRES AND
DO YOU PATCH TUBES OR THROW IN A NEW
ONE?
Roughly, once every other week-ish. PATCH!
WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR TOOL KIT WHEN
YOU RIDE?
Allen key set, patch kit, crescent wrench, pen, tire
levers and a pump that gets to 120 psi
HOW OFTEN DO YOU DO BIKE
MAINTENANCE?
When something breaks
DOB: 21st July 1980
SPONSORS:
Cadence (ha!), RE-Load Bags,
flow for Profile Racing.
HEIGHT: Long legs, short torso
THE SET UP
FRAME: a dented aluminium track frame, 56cm
FORK: sketchy carbon fibre
CRANK AND CHAINRING:
Sugino Grand Mighty 165mm, 49T chainring
BOTTOM BRACKET: that’s a good question!
PEDALS: Sylvain tour – cheap and flat!
HUBS: 24h Shimano low flange radial lace (front),
36h Chub Hub in back
RIMS: Mavic CXP-30 24h 650c up front, with a
V
Velocity 36h 700c on the rear
SPOKES: bent
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TYRES: Vittoria Rubino 650c up front,
V
Vittoria Randonneur 700cc in back
COG: Euro Asia 19t
BARS: I got them used from a friend, aluminium
cut to 25” wide.
STEM: Profile Acoustic 53mm
GRIPS: clear Oury
HEADSET: FSA internal
SEAT: Selle Italia Flight with Cadence rework
SEATPOST: Shimano Ultegra 27.2
ANYTHING ELSE: double straps, Cadence
Doublizers and plastic cages
WHAT DO YOU NEVER LEAVE HOME
WITHOUT?
Helmet & camera
HOW MANY MILES DO YOU RIDE EVERY
WEEK?
When I was a messenger I averaged 40 miles a
day, which I think is crazy now that I only do about
30-40 a week. I’m slackin’!
FAVOURITE TRICK AND WHY?
Any trick that feels right and flows, it’s more about
the feeling then the actual trick for me
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WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE WITH THE
TRICK TRACK SITE AND FORUM?
Well, Trick Track exists because I thought it was
ridiculous that there was no place to really talk
about this blossoming style of riding, other than
face to face and in comments on blogs. I knew
lots of people were doing fixed gear tricks, I just
wanted to give them a place to discuss the tricks
and equipment that are unique to us. I’m amazed
that it’s become a genuinely useful resource already.
A lot more paths are crossing and networks being
established since there is finally a place to meet and
talk and stuff. I got to meet many people that post
on Trick Track on a recent trip and it was so cool to
see the different ways the site had become a part of
their lives.
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WE’VE FOUND THAT PEOPLE ALL OVER THE
WORLD, LITERALLY EVERY CORNER, ARE
DOWNLOADING FIXED MAGAZINE. DO YOU
HAVE A SIMILAR REACH WITH TRICK TRACK?
There are members from all over North America, a
handful from Europe and a couple from Asia. We’re
hoping to make the entire site multilingual, as I’d
love to know more about various foreign scenes,
my clumsy attempts at translating Japanese/Italian/
Korean blogs only make me hungry for knowledge!
A LOT OF THE EARLY CLIPS WERE YOU AND A
VIDEO CAMERA IN A PARKING LOT. WHAT’S
NEXT FOR THE SCENE AS IT GROWS?
Well, sometimes it satisfies me just right to go out at
2 a.m. and obsess over these tricks and kill off some
excess energy. And since my sessions are usually at
odd hours and on a whim, it was just easiest to film
myself. When I saw the clip of SuperTed’s bunnyhop
barspin, it killed me! I had been thinking about that
trick constantly, but that clip forced me to man up – I
love being pushed like that! Since so many people
have the basics down, we are going to start seeing
a lot more combo moves and linking and strings.
Also, I think people are going to get bored of the
same spins we’ve all been doing and put more effort
into branching out into new concepts. Also, I bet
someone will step up and crankarmslide a handrail.
I’ve been thinking about it lots, it’s totally doable, so
why not? I think Bootleg Sessions v.3 will be a great
chance to see where we’ve wound up after this crazy
past year and it will give us insight into the direction
things are going.
THERE ARE JUST AS MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE
HATING ON TRICKING AS THERE ARE WHO
ARE INTO IT. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
I really can’t relate to the concept of trying to
discourage someone from doing something they’re
enjoying, how does that make any sense? Hate is
just a waste of passion.
IS THERE ANYONE YOU NEED TO THANK?
Thanks a lot to Phil R and Alex V for their hard work
doing the nerdy forum stuff that I don’t know how
to do, I really appreciate the help! And thanks to
anyone that has supported or visited or made use of
Trick Track – I’m glad it doesn’t totally suck...
CHECK OUT WWW.TRICKTRACK.ORG!
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