Issue date: 6/1/09 Section: Opinion

My boyfriend is cheating on me. Her name is Schwinn. She's beautiful, tan and skinny. He said she's fast, fun and unlike anyone else. Any other bike, that is. You see, Schwinn is my boyfriend's fixed-gear bicycle.

What exactly is a fixed-gear bicycle? While most people think of them as those bikes with skinny wheels, there's more to them than that. Just because a bike is skinny doesn't mean it's a fixed-gear.

Fixed-gear bicycles are single-speed bikes without a free wheel. Because the gears are fixed, whatever the wheels do, the pedals also do. Therefore, these bikes do not allow coasting.

Fixed-gear bikes have become a widespread trend from city to city. Even Sacramento has developed its very own fixed-gear culture.

This fixed-gear culture is often associated with a trendy and rebellious youth. A Jan. 30 Sacramento Bee article even went as far as to say, "fixed-gear culture is about style, danger, simplicity, resistance to authority, commerce and more."

While this statement may hold some truth, it's far too broad of a generalization. Sure, some kids probably ride fixed-gear bicycles for style, danger and resistance to authority. But the majority of riders I have spoken with use them for much more.

"I ride fixed-gear as a fun alternative to a cruiser. It's simple, it's fun and my bike is simple. I don't need to have a funny-colored bike or do BMX tricks," said Pat Guild, a Sacramento resident and fixed-gear rider. "There's a difference between riding one as a trendy hobby and riding out of necessity."

Personally, I value comfort far too much to give up coasting, but I can see the appeal of a fixed-gear bicycle. These bikes are fast, easy to maintain, lightweight and affordable.

What I don't understand is the sudden boom in popularity of riding fixed-gear. Of course trends come and go without rhyme or reason, but this one is especially confusing to me.

While the bike itself may be simple, riding this kind of bike is far from easy. Although it is possible to put hand brakes on these bikes, most fixed-gear bicycles are brakeless. In order to stop, the rider must apply resistance to the pedals and skid to slow down. Call me crazy, but skidding to a stop sounds pretty scary.

"I'm too lazy now for fixed. I didn't like not coasting and having to dodge damn cars because I couldn't skid fast enough," said Cahil Bhanji, sophomore public relations major.

Bhanji is not the only one turned off by the danger and difficulty of fixed-gear bikes.

Some cities, including Sacramento, have even issued tickets to fixed-gear riders for riding without brakes. But these tickets have yet to stop the rising popularity of these bikes.

According to the Bee article, this "whiff of outlaw culture" is exactly what "makes fixed-gear bikes a fast-growing trend."

While I suppose the danger factor could be somewhat glamorous, those who are really dedicated to bike riding are certainly not outlaws.

Just like any other vehicle, it is up to the driver to be safe and responsible.

Leidhra Johnson can be reached at ljohnson@statehornet.com.

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