Full Circle – Fixies and Bicycle Design
November 23rd, 2009Cycling, both as a sport and a means of transport, is currently undergoing drastic and widespread revitalisation. Rarely does a sport experience such a fundamental change.
New bicycle-based behaviors and disciplines are driving product conceptualisation and design: “Hybrid” bicycles continue to amalgamate road and MTB influences, mountain biking diverges into multiple disciplines (downhill, XC, trials, urban), female orientated bikes and accessories explode into the market and, perhaps most interestingly, the world of fixed-gear riding proliferates and has a mass-market impact.
All too often new products emerge in response to a new technology, however insignificant the advancement. Middle-of-the-curve bicycles gain extra, unused gears every year. Not to mention the proliferation of other extraneous features (suspension, computers, etc.). Fixed gear bicycles buck this trend in an altogether refreshing way.
As a product offer, the fixed gear bicycle is an exercise in reduction. In essence, the stripping of these products to their fundamentals references both modern day track racing products and bicycles of the early 20th century. Interesting how (arguably) the most influential movement in cycling now draws reference from original, utilitarian bicycle design.
As the leading brands in the sector all release their 2nd and 3rd generation fixed-gear products to respond, it is fascinating to see a product sector come full circle in this way.