京都のフィクシーWhenever we see a fixed gear bicycle, we realize, again, that we are old.
No, not old old, but we are a middle-aged bourgeois commuter riding a mass-produced reasonably-priced Taiwanese cross bike.
And we love it. It takes the rain, the beating, and even our clumsy attempts at tuning it up.
Aside from replacing the tires once, periodic derailleur adjustments, brake pad replacement, we have done no major repair work. It keeps on rolling, day in and day out, six years on.
A fixed-gear bicycle, or "fixie," is a bicycle with no freewheel.
Simply translated, that means it cannot coast; without pedaling the bike will stop.
Thus, when the rear wheel turns the pedals will and must move in the same direction. Braking is thus done by stopping pedaling; as a result, many fixies are sold without brakes (the Japanese police frown on this).
It is also apparently possible to ride backwards.
The bikes have a clean look - no derailleur, no brakes, no wiring - and popular among young men but we still don't get it.
© CycleKyoto.com
Tags
Japan
Touring
Kyoto
Cycle
Fixie
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