8 December 2011

Hipster bikes roll on!

| johnboy
Join the conversation
41
hipster bikes

As all the cool cats know cars are deathboxes while bicycles set you free.

And people are increasingly pimping their rides.

Down on Bunda Street this morning there’s a particularly fine grouping.

Love your work whoever you are.

Join the conversation

41
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

Maybe Canberra needs Charles Bronsen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEyP4Q8igQY

No more than every person can own a villa on the beach can every person on the planet own a car. It would be better to get used to the idea that bikes can be more beautiful, at least if you have children. I did it and I’ve owned at least 50 cars.

Stevian said :

As far as I can determine Hipsters ARE better than you, and all you can do is piss and moan about it.

Whatever you say, hipster! Hahahaha!
I personally thought this quote was funny though: “Every aspect of hipster culture amounts to little more than a elaborate pissing contest”

Then again, as you say, complaining about (any) ‘different’ people being better/worse than you is really a bit of a pissing contest between lifestyles and choices!

Maybe this thread has caused such a stir because they are hipsters AND cyclists – two different groups!! I mean really, can’t we all just get along?! Hahahaha!

As far as I can determine Hipsters ARE better than you, and all you can do is piss and moan about it.

Jim Jones said :

Deref said :

I’m trying to get a handle on what a hipster is. So far, they seem to like riding “fixies” so they’re not very smart. Do they have any other identifying characteristics?

http://www.latfh.com/

Deref said :

I’m trying to get a handle on what a hipster is. So far, they seem to like riding “fixies” so they’re not very smart. Do they have any other identifying characteristics?

http://www.cracked.com/funny-4573-hipster/

🙂

I begin to see. 😀

Deref said :

I’m trying to get a handle on what a hipster is. So far, they seem to like riding “fixies” so they’re not very smart. Do they have any other identifying characteristics?

http://www.cracked.com/funny-4573-hipster/

🙂

Deref said :

I’m trying to get a handle on what a hipster is. So far, they seem to like riding “fixies” so they’re not very smart. Do they have any other identifying characteristics?

http://www.latfh.com/

Bosworth said :

Except for hipsters. Hipsters are not human.

Damn straight. How can any human possibly squeeze into those friggin’ jeans?

Except they dont wear lycra body suits and ride on the roads getting in the way…

you know, Im not sure hipsters bother me so much now =/

Brandi said :

I enjoy riding a fixie from time to time. I hope your ill will starts and finishes within the confines of your own imaginings of what a hipster might be.

Hipster, pedestrian, truckie, cop – we’re all human 🙂

Except for hipsters. Hipsters are not human.

Deref said :

I’m trying to get a handle on what a hipster is. So far, they seem to like riding “fixies” so they’re not very smart. Do they have any other identifying characteristics?

They’re just more f***ing Cyclists apparently

I’m trying to get a handle on what a hipster is. So far, they seem to like riding “fixies” so they’re not very smart. Do they have any other identifying characteristics?

joeyjojojuniorshabadoo said :

Boring_Name said :

This post is getting long, but I hope somebody else notices how ridiculous fixie bikes are. They were never designed for use on roads and people are being seriously injured because of it. IMHO anyone who tries to justify the use of one without mentioning that it is nothing but a fashion trend is deluded.

I am all for hipsters seriously injuring themselves in the name of fashion.

Is it possible to fracture your spine ironically? I guess you just have to keep a straight face and play down all the attention the “conformist” first aid officers are giving you, I guess.

I enjoy riding a fixie from time to time. I hope your ill will starts and finishes within the confines of your own imaginings of what a hipster might be.

Hipster, pedestrian, truckie, cop – we’re all human 🙂

joeyjojojuniorshabadoo12:24 pm 09 Dec 11

Boring_Name said :

This post is getting long, but I hope somebody else notices how ridiculous fixie bikes are. They were never designed for use on roads and people are being seriously injured because of it. IMHO anyone who tries to justify the use of one without mentioning that it is nothing but a fashion trend is deluded.

I am all for hipsters seriously injuring themselves in the name of fashion.

I’ll share some fixie bike history that I stumbled across.

Apparently they are traditionally intended for use in velodrome racing, as there is no need to stop pedaling in a race. By having a fixed gear, there are slightly less losses between the rider and the wheel. Considering there is no need to change gears in velodrome racing, and you can use the shape of the course to slow down, it made sense to use a fixed gear. At that time cyclists were either road or velodrome racers, with each requiring a different bike for their purpose, but times changed and road racers realised that they can take their road bike onto the velodrome and try their hand in that field as well. The rules were relaxed to allow this and all of a sudden nobody was using fixed gear bikes anymore. So basically the market was flooded with cheap second-hand fixie bikes that nobody wanted.

At the same time, the bohemian moment of starving artists in New York were making a social statement out of being broke and started buying these bikes solely because they were the only transport they could afford. Because of this, fixie bikes eventually became associated with the bohemian movement, and starving artist types (or anyone who wanted to look like one) started buying them up and using them as a status symbol the world over. Fast forward to now, where the hipster movement is absorbing the bohemian trends of the past, while ignoring the underlying meaning in that movement. Just like any fashion trend, it’s a copy of a copy of a copy of the original trend.

This post is getting long, but I hope somebody else notices how ridiculous fixie bikes are. They were never designed for use on roads and people are being seriously injured because of it. IMHO anyone who tries to justify the use of one without mentioning that it is nothing but a fashion trend is deluded.

The middle bike is barely “hipster” .. looks like a pretty regular flat-bar roadie that someone’s added a leather saddle-bag to. However, it doesn’t have a front derailleur and it’s too hard to see from the photo if there’s a chain guide on both sides of the front ring: If not, the owner WILL hurt themselves one day.

Tidy looking customs. None of them are fixies.

Lowride cruiser on the left has a coaster-brake hub – note the reaction arm strapped to the lefthand chainstay. Basically drum brakes operated by backpedalling.

The cruiser with apehangers on the right is likely the same.

Flatbar racer in the middle has a rear derailleur.

KB1971 said :

Solidarity said :

Kramer said :

I’ll take a mountain bike over a hipster bike any day of the week to dodge cars/people and jump gutters/hobos/stairs in the city. It’s not about how kewl you look (unless you really are a hipster) it’s about how much fun you can have between A and B.

Doesn’t matter if you want to have fun or look cool, in both circumstances you would be much better off driving a car, as they are much more fun and 10x cooler than any bike that isn’t motorised.

Cars are line arseholes, everyone has one………….

Like even………

Solidarity said :

Kramer said :

I’ll take a mountain bike over a hipster bike any day of the week to dodge cars/people and jump gutters/hobos/stairs in the city. It’s not about how kewl you look (unless you really are a hipster) it’s about how much fun you can have between A and B.

Doesn’t matter if you want to have fun or look cool, in both circumstances you would be much better off driving a car, as they are much more fun and 10x cooler than any bike that isn’t motorised.

unless its french or volvo 😉

Solidarity said :

Kramer said :

I’ll take a mountain bike over a hipster bike any day of the week to dodge cars/people and jump gutters/hobos/stairs in the city. It’s not about how kewl you look (unless you really are a hipster) it’s about how much fun you can have between A and B.

Doesn’t matter if you want to have fun or look cool, in both circumstances you would be much better off driving a car, as they are much more fun and 10x cooler than any bike that isn’t motorised.

Cars are line arseholes, everyone has one………….

Kramer said :

I’ll take a mountain bike over a hipster bike any day of the week to dodge cars/people and jump gutters/hobos/stairs in the city. It’s not about how kewl you look (unless you really are a hipster) it’s about how much fun you can have between A and B.

Doesn’t matter if you want to have fun or look cool, in both circumstances you would be much better off driving a car, as they are much more fun and 10x cooler than any bike that isn’t motorised.

I’ll take a mountain bike over a hipster bike any day of the week to dodge cars/people and jump gutters/hobos/stairs in the city. It’s not about how kewl you look (unless you really are a hipster) it’s about how much fun you can have between A and B.

poetix said :

I don’t understand this; it seems to defy the laws of physics that you have to pedal to go downhill. Sorry if I’m being dim but how does that happen and why would someone make a bike like that?

There’s no freewheeling mechanism. The pedals are connected to the rear wheel by a chain that runs around the fixed sprocket on the rear wheel and the sprocket to which the pedals are attached – when the rear wheels turn, the pedals turn (and vice versa). Nasty.

poetix said :

I don’t understand this; it seems to defy the laws of physics that you have to pedal to go downhill. Sorry if I’m being dim but how does that happen and why would someone make a bike like that?

Since when does fashion have to make any sense?

I guess one could argue it “encourage” you to exercise harder. Me, I prefer somewhat less risky ways to get into shape, preferably methods that do not attempt to murder me in the process.

Holden Caulfield5:10 pm 08 Dec 11

P-E-D-A-L

poetix said :

I don’t understand this; it seems to defy the laws of physics that you have to pedal to go downhill. Sorry if I’m being dim but how does that happen and why would someone make a bike like that?

Sorry, I’m having trouble explaining. You don’t have to peddle. But the peddles have to turn. They are linked via a chain to the rear wheel. If the wheel is turning the peddles are turning.

You can take your feet off the peddles and let then spin wildly. But often these bikes also have no brakes. A normal speeds you regulate your speed buy putting back pressure on the peddles to slow yourself.

p1 said :

dtc said :

Deref said :

What am I missing? They look like ordinary bikes to me.

Also at least one of them is a ‘fixie’ (‘one’ gear)….

Actually, I fixie isn’t defined by having one gear. It is defined by not having a free wheel mechanism. So it isn’t that you have to peddle harder up hill (you do, but that makes you about as cool as the average BMX bandit). The issue is that if the bike is moving, you *always* have to peddle. Wanna go down a steep hill? flat out peddling the whole way….

I don’t understand this; it seems to defy the laws of physics that you have to pedal to go downhill. Sorry if I’m being dim but how does that happen and why would someone make a bike like that?

Guy I know (but don’t really get along with) broke his neck in 3 places on the fixie, going down a steep hill, the chain snapped.

They’re kind of a dumb bike to ride around town….

dtc said :

Deref said :

What am I missing? They look like ordinary bikes to me.

Also at least one of them is a ‘fixie’ (‘one’ gear)….

Actually, I fixie isn’t defined by having one gear. It is defined by not having a free wheel mechanism. So it isn’t that you have to peddle harder up hill (you do, but that makes you about as cool as the average BMX bandit). The issue is that if the bike is moving, you *always* have to peddle. Wanna go down a steep hill? flat out peddling the whole way….

Deref said :

What am I missing? They look like ordinary bikes to me.

Also at least one of them is a ‘fixie’ (‘one’ gear) – the one at the back look like it might be as well. Cant say I quite understand this fashion, sure you feel ‘more in tune’ with the environment’ (ie you have to peddle harder when there is a hill instead of changing down a gear), but you live in a city (and probably inner city), which kind of isnt really a natural environment in the first place

Where are the rego plates???

Deref said :

What am I missing? They look like ordinary bikes to me.

This. Reading some of the comments, a lot of people on here haven’t got a clue what a hipster is. Or a bogan for that matter.

Velocipedes for women tend not to be as fashionable.
Although my brown early 1980s Raleigh will surely come back into fashion, in another 300 years or so.

Deref said :

What am I missing? They look like ordinary bikes to me.

At a guess, from right to left: ridiculously long handle bars; straight across handle bars; a spring loaded seat. There’s sort of retro feel to them.

Deref said :

What am I missing? They look like ordinary bikes to me.

hipster!

What am I missing? They look like ordinary bikes to me.

wildturkeycanoe12:30 pm 08 Dec 11

I had one of those when I lost my license for a year. Old 10-speed racing bike, bare metal re-spray, with BMX handlebars, rack on the back, painted gloss black though, with fluoro orange bits here and there. I did 4000km on it in that 12 months. Where do you get ape-hangers nowadays? Custom built?
Now, if only they had orange reflectors on the wheels and pedals, a white front reflector and red for the rear and a bell I’d be impressed. Otherwise, they’re just illegal modes of transport like half the cars on our roads.

I had a bike back in the late ’80s, which my dad had grabbed from revolve, given a respray and some new tires. It was the height of seriously uncool.

Kinda wish I had it now, it would be painfully fashionable.

Kewl, I am thinking of dabbling in building bikes at no one does the exact bike I want without me wasteing money on ditching bits.

I would love to buy a cruiser for, just to be seen……….

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.