Fixed-gear bicycling on the rise

Ryan McCullough

Among cruisers and mountain bicycles, the fixed-gear bicycle is making its way to the mainstream.A fixed-gear bicycle has no free-wheel. The sprocket is mounted directly onto the hub of the tire. Riders resist the rotation of the pedals to stop.

Mark Ryan, a Phoenix based architect, bought a fixed-gear bicycle in 2000 to rehabilitate a broken hip.

“It’s a great workout,” said Ryan.

He regularly competes in road bicycle competitions. He uses his fixed-gear bicycle as a training device.

Ryan first saw fixed-gear bicycles when he moved to San Francisco in 1995.

“It wasn’t quite hip and cool yet,” said Ryan.

He attributes the rise in popularity to the simplicity of fixed-gear bicycles and the often lower cost.

In 1995, only bicycle messengers were riding a fixed-gear bicycle, usually without brakes, according to Ryan. “It’s a bit un-cool to have brakes,” he said.

Tempe resident, Daniel Soulvie recently bought an old Schwinn bicycle and converted it to a fixed-gear.

“Once you get it going, it really moves,” Soulvie said.

Before riding a fixed-gear bicycle Soulvie rarely rode a bicycle. “It is a way to get exercise into my everyday life,” said Soulvie.

Along with beach cruisers and fixed-gear bikes, longboarding has gained popularity within the last five years.

MCC student Sami Sahyouni has been longboarding for five years.

“I have been longboarding for a while now. I think that it has grown in popularity especially with college students,” Sahyouni said.

At 19, Sahyouni was first introduced to longboarding culture.

“I was introduced to it by a friend in California,” Sahyouni said. “I wanted a greener form of transportation that was more reliable.”

ASU student William Guillermo Brindley incorporated longboarding on a daily basis.

“Having a longboard allows me to get to my classes at incredible speeds. I take it with me every chance that I get,” Brindley said. “Longboarding across campus also impresses the ladies, especially since I have crazy long boarding skills.”

Zumies employee Mike Goe, sells longboards to customers who are looking for convenience, and even to a few thrill seekers.

“You could probably use a bike just as easy, but the fact that you can carry a longboard with you makes it more convenient,” Goe said. “It also has a smoother ride then a bike would. Longboarding is more free and mellow then riding a bike or even walking. I’d say for the most part, from what I see, most people are using it for transportation.”

According to Goe, the average student comprised the majority of his store’s longboard sales.

“Students are the bigger chunk of the pie when it comes to people purchasing longboards,” Goe said. “They are purchasing them to get around their campuses. They want an easy from of transporation.”

With popularity on the rise, Zumies has noticed an increase in sales among college students.

“Last year we were selling maybe one to three every month, and now it’s one to three every week,” Goe said. “During the beginning of the college school year or semester break is when we tend to see a spike in the sales.”

As a longboarder himself, Goe is a fan of the experience.

“I’m more of a carver then a hill bomber. Carving is similar to snowboarding. I can get a similar experience as a snowboarder would, except I don’t have to pay to go on a lift or drive up to Flagstaff,” Goe said. “It’s just a really free and smooth cruise.

  • Mesa Legend Staff

    These are archived stories from Mesa Legend editions before Fall 2018. See article for corresponding author.

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