Breaking news from the AP today:

A collective gasp could be heard from Manhattan to SOMA to the Hawthorne today as hipsters around the country discovered Urban Outfitters was now carrying fixed gear bikes.  News spread fast from iPhone to iPhone, one indy coffee shop to another, and the confusion set in as the urban fringe sought out to find a new, ‘unique’ identity. One man who identified himself only as ‘Turbo’ said he may even buy jeans in his actual size and stop cutting his own hair in protest. A conference call has been scheduled for early next week to discuss what obnoxious fashion trends from the past can be rehashed so that those identifying themselves as hipsters can continue considering themselves different while all looking the same. Retailers predict a huge rush on the sale of 80s BMX bikes.

I do believe the fork has officially been stuck in the fixie trend.  I have no problems with either hipsters or fixies (anything getting people on bikes is great, though my knees have issues with fixed gear bikes), but as I typically see the bikes being walked instead of ridden (bike as fashion accessory?) it leads me to believe that many who buy ‘em aren’t buying ‘em for the ride quality or to smooth out their pedal stroke.  Will be interesting to see if a mass market retailer offering ‘made to order’ fixed gear bikes will cause the self-proclaimed fringe to eschew what they formerly preached.  At least they’ve got a flip-flop hub.  I guess it’s a good thing I’ve kept my old General R.L. Osborne Hustler Pro, that thing just shot up in value.

*POURS PBR*

RIP fixed gear trend, thanks for introducing people to riding

Visibly shaken, these three abandoned their bikes and took the L

Back alley meeting to discuss Monday's conference call