Fixed Magazine issue 3 by Julien Baddie

RO PE TR NT IP AB // V IK AN E // CO M UV IK ER E GI // AN AD T EL // A M IDE OR / E / ...

003

FIXED

SPRING 2009

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

XXXXXX X XXX XX XXXX X XXX XX XXXX X XXX XX XXXX X XXX XX XXXX X XXX

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PHOTO: XXXXX XXXXXX

S E M

A R F

RIDER: Charlie Reinagel PHOTO: Dave Essom LOCATION: South Philadelphia, USA

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PHOTO: Ian Sansom LOCATION: Herne Hill Velodrome, UK

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RIDER: Juliet Elliot PHOTO: Sam Hart LOCATION: London, UK

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RIDER: Unknown PHOTO: Sven Kovac LOCATION: Adelaide, Australia

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EDITORIAL

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!

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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 . info@bricklanebikes.co.uk . 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

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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.

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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

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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 Sansomian@fixed-mag.com Andy Ellis andy@fixed-mag.com DESIGN Nick Butterfield nick@fixed-mag.com Steffi Sobotka steffi@fixed-mag.com

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

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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

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 ian@fixed-mag.com 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

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black/silver

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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

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cha

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:orders@blbbigmama.co.uk

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

Tr a c

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

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

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Distributed in the UK by Moore Large Ltd - sales@moorelarge.co.uk - www.knog.com.au

DUALITY

LUIS DAVID & TOMA

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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

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MOST WANTED

“Bling, Bling...”

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

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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

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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

INFO@CONDORCYCLES.COM

CONDOR CROSSTOP LEVERS: £19.99 PAIR

CONDOR ROAD BRAKES SINGLE: £24.99

CONDOR/SUGINO CHAINSETS - FROM £64.99 AVAILABLE IN: GOLD, SILVER, BLACK, BLUE & RED - 44T/46T/48T

17.

CONDOR/MICHE CHAINSETS: £99.99 AVAILABLE IN: BLACK & SILVER - 46T/48T

CMY

17. VOLUME CUTTER www.volumefixed.com

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Pros:

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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

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

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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.

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

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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…

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

. ! $ 52)!( +/

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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 4().'3 !"/54 2)$).' &)8%$ !.$ ). !$%,!)$%

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% 9/52 4(/5'(43 ) +./7 9/5 535!,,9 4%,, 4(%- 7(!4 9/5 4().+

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% $/ 9/5 3%% &)8%$ '%!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.

'/ / & . ) 2% #/- / &/2 930!#% '%!2 4/ - )$%&)8%$ % ! !$%, 34 '//', 4 /2 *5 '%4 /. ) 3/-%

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

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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

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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 4am I heard someone trying to break into the ing threw barspins, before upp back, before seeing their ugly mugs pressed huge 360 out of the bowl. against the window, checking if there was s and so With only a short time in Pari anything worth stealing. A quick kick on the one into a lot much to do, we had to pack glass and they realised that someone was with roll to time day, so after eating it was inside so they legged it as fast as possible. crew. They Suburbs and the Pignon Fixe Ted? He slept through the whole thing... g centre that took us to a covered shoppin and ers BMX was alive with skaters, flatland FRANKFURT BY ODGE WONG quickly things confused pedestrians but very Tony killing the We left Paris and drove for what seemed like developed into a session with forever before we arrived in Frankfurt. We ing stuck in, flatland and Ted and Tom gett headed towards Tobi from the clothing store a to city the ss too. Next was a long ride acro Azita and Susie’s apartment, who had kindly le edib incr t mos housing estate that has the agreed to nine of us sharing their living room spot but with flat bank architecture, a sick with Dexter, their dog. While driving through ’t last long twenty or more riders, we didn the city it became apparent from the night ded hea we before getting kicked out so skyline, towering skyscrapers and modern g bein pite Des city. back to the middle of the architecture that the city was every inch the pe, Paris is one of the major cities in Euro financial center of Europe it is famed to be. less and takes geographically pretty small This made us even more eager to park up the of lot a ss – than 30 minutes to ride acro van and get on our bikes. Our legs needed we and a are ll sma culture is crammed into a explore. Ted and the stretch and so we were off attacking the wished we had more time to streets, sessioning a few spots but retired after he promised me I slept in the van that night; a couple of hours. if up e wak ld wou he was a light sleeper and Thanks to it’s excellent transport links, ut abo , ugh eno there was any trouble. Sure Frankfurt hosts many international trade

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“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”

of the coping. When we found our way to the fixed gear fairs which was why we went area we noticed there was a flatb ank setup in there. – to attend the Bright skateboard Stoked! It needed a lick of fresh paint but after it dried tradeshow. We made our way we all sessioned that bank fully . Bunny-hops, wall rides, to the venue in the old police bunnyhop 180s, Tony ’s bar-spin s and SuperTed’s bunnyhop headquarters, which is only no-handers were going down the first day, but soon used for the tradeshow these Tom got bunnyhop 360s and bun nyhop barspins on the days, so the rooms and interiors flatbank. I’m guessing you’ve seen the video by Renaud of only change with the new Suburbs doing the rounds on the blogs, but if you haven’t, installations from companies track it down because it’s sick . Ian and I also had a little attending each time. Bright flat session and both got bunnyh op bar-spins – super had invited us to set up an area stoked with that. Ian’s front whe el was looking a little worse dedicated to fixed gear bikes for wear afterwards – with ripp les around the spoke holes and were to share the space – ruined. with the Suburbs Crew of Paris. The next day was mainly spen t exposing fixed On the third floor of the building gear bikes and culture to the visitors. Predominantly a was a wooden bowl with cradle skateboarding and streetwea r event, it was pleasantly corner and we knew we had to surprising how much this indu stry already knew about get there before all the skaters fixed gear bikes and our crew . Later in the afternoon while turned up. It was rad! Really some of us went to see the scre ening of “Beautiful Losers” tight on a fixed gear bike the others went out to ride som e street, with Pouya taking but we managed to session us to some famous skate spots. Tom hopped a huge gap it for an hour or so, carving from one grind block to the othe r at Bockenheimer, a up pretty much over 90° – on famous street spot with banks and ledges, while SuperTed the full pipe corner bowl and did a sprocket grind to 180 out on the same grind block. Tony was getting barspins out

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

“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”

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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

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.

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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,

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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. 64 Fixed

ANOTHER FIRST ON THIS TRIP, BUNNY HOP BARSPIN TO FAKIE, SLIDER TO NOSE MANNY OUT – SICK, TOM! PHOTO: GREG FALSKI

m o o d g n i d n mpe

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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.com

logspot .b c b m o o d f o il c n u o .c www

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?

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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

ONTO, OM TOR EAL R F R E H NO R M MOS WHEN TO AW THERE WAS ED GEAR S IX CANADA FOR FREESTYLE F IDED TO E EC RESOURC B, HE SIMPLY D RG E W KTRACK.O S C I R T ON THE D N ER S OWN, A G MEMB N I R U T A START HI E E N. NOW F THE WORLD, W WAS BOR T R A SEE WH LL OVE FROM A P WITH HIM TO U . CAUGHT ITE TICK S E H T S MAKE

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! XXXXXX X XXX XX XXXX X XXX XX XXXX X XXX XX XXXX X XXX XX XXXX X XXX PHOTO: XXXXX XXXXXX

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