I received an e-mail from Brent last week asking me to do the rider opinion of the month. I immediately said yes not knowing about what to talk about. Something I'm sure everyone asked to do future opinions will realize.

Plenty of topics ran across my mind mostly touching the subject of cannibalism. They ranged from meeting Nando Parrado on the 15th of May, a man who survived for 72 days in the Andes feeding off of dead members of his rugby team after a disastrous plane crash. I also thought about talking about my interest in the neurodegenerative disease Kuru which is often seen in the tribes people of New Guinea due to the consumption of humans. The epidemic reached its peak in the 1960's killing close to 1,100 in the South Fore. Most of them were women. I then recalled my recent ride with the Milwaukee Midnight Riders. I participated in a Jeffrey Dahmer themed ride called "Milwaukee: We Eat People." It consisted of a tour around the city visiting various sites including the hardware store where Jeffrey Dahmer bought his 'tool' collection, the chocolate factory (no longer in existence) where he worked and apparently disposed of human remains, his home, and the hospital where he died. I immediately disagreed with his death at a hospital and actually thought about ranting off about that. Every source I have ever checked on the history of the Dahmer case described his brutal death occurring in the maximum security Columbia State Correctional Facility in Portage, WI. A prison I use to drive by as a child wondering what horrid creatures lurked beyond its walls.

I gave it a couple of more days and realized I should probably talk about something bike related. This would give everyone a chance to relate to the subject and not have to close their browser for fear of a boss, mother, wife, or child having to witness my horrifying descriptions of what Jeffrey Dahmer did to his 17 victims. In fact, he was thought to have killed more men but charges were dropped due to lack of evidence. So I thought I would stop being a weirdo and decided to voice my opinion on track bikes and fixed gear conversions wishing to offend no one.

Bike culture in Milwaukee has grown tremendously in the past two years. I definitely do not see this as a bad thing. We are only going to see more of an increase in bicycle transportation. On the other hand it is suddenly cool to convert your Schwinn Continental to a fixed gear bicycle.

I don't know why, but for some reason I have a problem with fixed gear conversions. I'm not sure why anyone would convert their bicycle to a fixed gear for the sake of 'looking cool' which is pretty much what I've nailed it down to. Many of you may be wondering what I ride and I will tell you that the majority of my urban riding is on a 1981 Bianchi track bike (right). From a messengers perspective, track bicycles are ideal. I've always been fascinated by the simplicity of a track bicycle and this is the number one reason why most bike messengers ride them. I prefer a stiff steel frame. With the true track geometry of these bicycles that's exactly what you get. The simplicity of a track bicycle allows for low maintenance which pays off for how hard these bicycles are ridden. I'm pretty sure the art students with the u-lock in their back pocket and shiny new chrome bag do not ride their conversions for 10 hours a day.

Just in the past year or so I have seen an extreme increase in fixed gear conversions in this city. I have thought long and hard about why this is and narrowed it down to a small chain of events. Bike messengers stop at their favorite local coffee shop to get their early morning fix. I don't know a messenger that isn't addicted to coffee. The baristas usually take interest in the messenger lifestyle and question the simplicity of the track bicycle. Soon enough, your favorite local coffee shop barista is commuting to work on a road bike converted to a single speed or quite possibly a fixed gear. A front brake is normally needed at first because the exotic fixed gear bike doesn't feel just right. They often wonder why the pedals are constantly in motion, however, it doesn't matter because it's what the messengers are doing and it's cool. Eventually the baristas art school friends take after them and it blows up.

With the popularity of the fixed gear bicycle comes the attention of everyone's mother and the trendy little city newspapers who want to write an article on everything that is cool ranging from new restaurants, doggie parks and apparently fixed gear bikes. I've always strayed away from discussions on fixed gear bikes in these small newspapers for one good reason…media attention is available for District 1 to read. District 1 may just crack down on these bicycles because they are dangerous. Yes, they are dangerous to the kids commuting to the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. Do you think Johnnie Law would have ever known about these bicycles had they not been publicized on the cover of MKE and the Shepard Express?

Sure enough just the other day I was picking up a package at the police admin building. As I was locking up my bicycle a police officer drove up and asked me where my brakes were. I told him it was a coaster brake and he said that I didn't have brakes and that he could prove it. He then proceeded to tell me that I would receive a ticket for not having brakes if he saw me again during the day. Apparently I had a free pass this time because I was going to the police admin building. Two other messengers were also pulled over and shared 5 tickets between themselves.

Messengers ride track bikes on the street for a reason other than the simplicity and low maintenance. I often have to carry large boxes and mail bins on my bars which would be difficult or uncomfortable to fit in my bag. Putting them on my bars obstructs my ability to grab on to a hand brake if I needed to stop suddenly. I can easily adjust my speed with my legs. It is also convenient when it is raining heavily. Brakes tend to not work as well under wet and snowy conditions. Again, it is much easier and safer to use a track bike.

I'm not saying nobody should ride track bikes on the street because I love to do it. Most everyone would agree these bikes are super fun on the street with the exception of the old timers who will tell you that they are track specific. I guess I strayed away from my topic on conversions. These fixed gear ragers are giving cyclists in this city a bad name. They are constantly riding as hard as they can through downtown blowing every red light like they're carrying a hot package. Since they look like messengers police begin to target the messengers who are relatively safe about going through intersections and have more experience riding in traffic.

James Lalonde
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