User:Jasonshin

Humanities I/The Commons [edit]=Humanities I/The Commons=

Final Public Art Project
Fixed Gear Culture

Fixed-gear bicycle (or fixed wheel bicycle) is a bicycle that has no freewheel, meaning it cannot coast — the pedals are always in motion when the bicycle is moving. The sprocket is screwed directly onto the hub. When the rear wheel turns, the pedals turn in the same direction. This allows a cyclist to stop without using a brake, by resisting the rotation of the cranks, and also to ride in reverse. Track cycling in a velodrome has always used fixed-gear track bikes, but fixed-gear bicycles are now again used on the road, a trend generally seen as being led by bicycle messengers. United States - The use of any bike without brakes on public roads is illegal in many places, but the wording is often something along the lines of "...must be equipped with a brake that will enable the person operating the cycle to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level and clean pavement..." which some have argued allows the use of the legs and gears. The retail sale of bikes without brakes is banned by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - but with an exception for the "track bicycle".

Fixed Gear in Seattle

In Seattle I have seen all kinds of people riding track bikes. While it is definitely more prominent with younger people, I have ridden with quite a few people who have been riding track bikes for 20 plus years and are going into their 50’s. It seems it is how you ride the bike, not the type of bike you ride, so fixed gears are enjoyed by everyone. Seattle has always been unique in that the people there don’t make a distinction about the scenes they participate in. I think Seattle people have pretty progressive attitudes about most things, and bikes are no different. There is a large group of people who use the bicycle to commute. This aspect of cycling culture is easier to envision within the context of The Bay Area as opposed to a place like Dallas, Texas for instance. and Seattle as a whole has a healthy bike scene. It is a progressive city with lots of commuters. The track bike scene though isn’t quite so healthy. Too much attitude and competition for my liking.

Track bikes or, fixed bikes have turned into such a big trend just within the past two or three years. because the popularity of the track bike may be due in large part to its rise alongside the internet. Kids all across the world are tied into what each other is doing through hype-sites, Youtube, and the like. This wasn’t the case with the rise in skateboarding for instance. The dissemination of information at that time was limited to the slow mediums of the magazine, or teams touring in order to propagate and spread the sport outside California. Regardless of their motivation, the more people riding bikes in the world, the better. Fixed gear bikes growing doesn’t have to be a negative, but I think it is. Too much strange pressures about who is better, causing people to ride dangerously and outside their limits. Or going and filming silly looking tricks and immediately throwing them up on Youtube. It could be great, but I think it became a hollow trend. I am fairly sure three quarters of the people riding now will not be in 5 years.

"We eat, breathe, sleep, talk, live, love and ride bicycle."

Self-Assessment
This final project taught me status of seattle's variety fixed gear bikes and artistic value of bicycle. I learned that how many seattle people are ride bicycle. I think many seattle young people are really love to ride fixed gear bikes and remodeling and decorate their own bicycle.