not a fixie in sight

this little blogger has now moved from Melbourne to Maastricht.

among the many difference that exist between the two cities and bicyle cultures, it is interesting to note the absence of the fashionable fixie.

perhaps it is because there isn't a bicycle courier company here?

or is it something else?

i suspect that people with fixies in melbourne - in part - like to distinguish themselves from the mainstream population by not only riding a bike, but riding one that is obviously personalised and expressive... these two features of the fixie help create a social distance from the "mainstream" (read: boring and conformist etc) and a fashionable, individualistic, clique (read: interesting, edgy, cool etc.)

perhaps, because bicycles are so ubiquitous in the netherlands, riding one without gears, painted "unique" colours does not generate enough distance between the subculture and mainstream?

i wonder too what the couriers and trendsetters will be making of the bicycle companies now mass producing single speeds, that in turn make it far easier for the "mainstream" to access?