Line of sight - insane urban biking

**scipio** · Posted On: 7/18/2012 6:13am

A fellow bike nut sent me this clip. It's about a bike race by cycle couriers across the world.

It has two rules:
1) No brakes
2) Fixed wheel only

This is the trailer for the full film.

Anyone who cycles in one of our major cities will appreciate the skill and complete insanity of those taking part.

**Cake of Doom** · Posted On: 7/18/2012 6:23am

Road Rash just got realz.

**Permalost** · Posted On: 7/18/2012 10:54am

WTF was that at 1:15?

**scipio** · Posted On: 7/18/2012 12:39pm

Originally Posted by Permalost

WTF was that at 1:15?

Apparantly it's the race in Mexico, I've got the film in full now so I'll let you know when I've watched it all.

**Permalost** · Posted On: 7/18/2012 1:04pm

My single speed road bike has just been sitting around since I switched to a commuter multispeed bike to get to work/elsewhere. I've been thinking about converting my single speed to a fixed gear for tooling around; that vid may be the tipping point for me.

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 7/18/2012 1:08pm

Have you ridden fixed much?

I was a messenger for a stint, that vid brings back some funny memories.
Misfits and miscreants, the lot of 'em.

**slamdunc** · Posted On: 7/18/2012 1:31pm

WOW! The life of a bike messenger: a modern kamikaze of sorts.

**Permalost** · Posted On: 7/18/2012 1:32pm

Originally Posted by ChenPengFi

Have you ridden fixed much?

Nope, but if I don't like it, I'm sure I can sell it to a hipster on Craigslist more easily than I can now.

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 7/18/2012 1:41pm

Ha! That is true no doubt. Throw in some PBR and it's a done deal.

Fixies have a nasty habit of throwing people over the bars, if ones suddenly tries to "coast".

**Permalost** · Posted On: 7/18/2012 2:01pm

Originally Posted by ChenPengFi

Fixies have a nasty habit of throwing people over the bars, if ones suddenly tries to "coast".

I've watched the Critical Mass rides here in SD, and from the starting point they immediately head down a huge steep hill into downtown. The fixies have a lot of trouble on this hill and I've seen them throw people pretty spectacularly as they gather speed and their legs can't keep up. Which always made me think "Why not just have a handbrake too, in case of emergencies/steep hills?"