‘An Ode to Fixed Gear’ - little illustration for a zine in the works reflecting on riding fixed gear. Here’s a sneak preview:
‘Not
only is riding fixed gear a meditation, it is also a therapy of sorts. There’s
an element of letting go, of forgetting everything but what is in front of you,
that is: bars, wheel, road, traffic. The following of the rotation, the
observation of the self and of one’s environment, it all acts to clear the
head, to free oneself of the stresses, strains and anxieties of this complex
existence we call life. It’s an escape, a cathartic release of energy, whether
that be good or bad in nature. And yes, this same release could be achieved
with a free-wheel, but truly it is not the same. There is something in the
constant, the simplicity and the awareness of the fixed wheel. There is not the
luxury of gears or of even coasting; you work your way down hills as much as
you worked up them, with no respite or rest from effort. And it demands effort in
profusion, but with that you get ultimate control. You get out exactly what you
put in, and more often than not, you have to put in an awful lot. In this way,
there is also a degree of sacrifice and resilience essential to riding. The
whole thing is a test, a personal trial, and a gruelling one at that, where you
are constantly asked to prove yourself, to push your capabilities and physical
boundaries of endurance.’