Korean Job Discussion Forums

Captain Marlow · Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Location: darkness

just about to buy my first fixie of korea (rode in atlanta) and was wondering if there's anyone else out there who wants to bomb hills and whatnot....

i've finally started seeing some koreans riding, and a shop opened up downtown, so i'm gonna start killing rear tires again...

CeleryMan · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Location: Seoul

This guy used to be an ESL Teacher in Pusan and now runs a bike shop in CA...he specializes in Fixed Gear stuff A - Z.

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/cycle4lesscom__W0QQ_armrsZ1

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/cycle4lesscom__W0QQ_armrsZ1

OnTheOtherSide · Joined: 29 Feb 2008

I'm curious. Why do you all like fixed gears better?

I tried a fixed gear for the first time last month and I didn't like it. I liked being able to go backwards and go tricks, and it did have some great acceleration power, and it pushed well on flat rides. But for taking hills and doing serious long distance riding it seems like those bikes aren't too good.

I hated how when I went down a hill I had to deal with the pedals spinning so fast. And going up hills was very difficult. No shifting gears Confused

The guy who owned the bike was all about doing weird tricks, that's why he liked it.

I havn't owned a car in 4 years and ride my bike everywhere. I'll stick to my mountain bike with big chunky tires and 21 speeds.

CeleryMan · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Location: Seoul

Hm? I wonder why people like vanilla ice cream better than mocha almond fudge?

kiwiduncan · Joined: 18 Jun 2007 Location: New Zealand

Captain Marlow, you have the best avatar ever Very Happy

I think some of you might already be in this group, but if not it might be useful for finding more info about fixed gear bikes.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=11799660100

BobbyOrr · Joined: 01 Jun 2009

Crockpot2001 · Joined: 01 Jul 2007

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/sea/1192150038.html

CeleryMan · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Location: Seoul

I smell a bicycle snob. How ironic and totally unnecessary Wink

nosmallplans · Joined: 10 Oct 2008 Location: noksapyeong

I'm pretty sure most of the Daegu crew are Filthy Freeriders. Big burly guys who like scary descents surrounded by rocks and sharp branches. In fact, they may beat you up just for riding a bike with tires skinnier than 2 inches.

Captain Marlow · Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Location: darkness

for me, it feels a lot like skateboarding... i've been skating for 20 years now, but the daegu skate scene seems to stay put at the big bell downtown... a quarter pipe and a box gets old after two years...

i like just cruising through busy places and having to think ahead because it takes a bit more time to stop than a braked bike... it's all about continuing to move (and steer) and not stop (much like korean auto drivers:)...

and to make it even more simple: it's just fun... they're light as anything (even a steel frame), are a ridiculous workout, and feel good because there's nothing between you and the immediate action of the bike... it works your reflexes and awareness of your surroundings...

of course, if i wanted to go up a mountain or cross country, i'd choose a geared bike... but i just wanna cruise around KNU and downtown, and maybe dabble in a wheelie or track stand...

coralreefer_1 · Joined: 19 Jan 2009

Captain Marlow · Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Location: darkness

thanks... yeah, i've been there a few times, but my korean skate friends don't wanna take the hour + bus ride both ways, and skating alone is fun sometimes, but it's definitely more fun to skate with friends... i still skate, just not as often (practically everyday) as i did back atlanta...

OnTheOtherSide · Joined: 29 Feb 2008

I would rather just have a bike that performs well.

I think this whole "fixie" thing is a trend that will die off and in 10 years nobody will be riding them. Seems like people just ride them to do something different. The only thing those bikes are good for is doing crazy tricks and stunts, and most people who ride them nowadys don't use them for this.

Pretty soon, the fixed gear bike will be in the dust of history just like roller skates, single-fin skateboards and those big scooters with the inflatable tires.

What's next? Unicycles?

kiwiduncan · Joined: 18 Jun 2007 Location: New Zealand

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/02/10/61-bicycles/

My brother (a great cyclist and bike mechanic) was into fixies for a while and tried to persuade me to try them out, but I've had knee problems for a couple of years and - though I love their simplicity and lightness - I'm wary of fixed-gear bikes and even just singlespeeds.

One good thing about fixed gear bikes though is that if you leave the bike unlocked outside the pub and someone randomly jumps on it and rides away, all you have to do is walk casually down to the next intersection and you'll probably find it lying there in the middle of the road.

Crockpot2001 · Joined: 01 Jul 2007