Fixation movie?

Anyone seen this doc about fixed gear bikes? My boyfriend and I watched it this weekend and while I learned a ton about fixies, it didn't exactly make me love the cocky people riding them (in this doc). I've known people to ride track bikes and I know they are hipster magnets but I don't immediately think "Oh, wow, what a terrible person on a fixie" (obviously, that's just STUPID). However, this doc didn't do much in my mind to make me like these people. There were SO MANY ISSUES with the commuters and riders in the doc.

There were always riders weaving, cyclists FLYING through red lights or not stopping, commuters cutting off buses and cars all to get speed up, etc. There were also drunk riders out taking up lanes of traffic and drunkenly riding around not signalling. This did not make me "like" any of the characters. A lot of it scared me and since most of the riders were your typical male cycling cocky types, I really didn't like it. I thought, if anything, it just affirmed that commuters are azzholes (which most of us are not) in the minds of drivers. In fact, sometimes, the shots of commuters made me so uncomfortable, I audibly shivered. My boyfriend noted that these cyclists were doing everything "wrong" on the road, which is true, based on my own road riding training of him. Again, no bad habits if you learn to ride from someone who obeys traffic and you have no prior road experience (as is the case with him).

Anyone else seen it and feel the same? I was blown away that I was supposed to "like" these people or cheer of them.

I haven't seen it, but from what you describe I would probably feel the same way. Sounds like they're glorifying the kind of behavior that makes people dislike cyclists in general, as well as being a bad example for people who watch it and may feel "inspired" (if that's the right word) to ride the same way.

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Originally Posted by Jolt

I haven't seen it, but from what you describe I would probably feel the same way. Sounds like they're glorifying the kind of behavior that makes people dislike cyclists in general, as well as being a bad example for people who watch it and may feel "inspired" (if that's the right word) to ride the same way.

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I'm genuinely confused by the movie. There are a lot of "experts" who have great info and taught me a lot about track bikes, racing, and fixed bikes but the scenes that were supposed to be "beautiful" of people racing around in traffic were terrifying to me as a commuter. I can only compare it to a movie where I see an actor riding poorly and ripping the mouth off of his horse and cringe despite the scene being "beautiful" or "important" to the untrained watcher. As an equestrian, that's hard to watch.

I wouldn't call it a training film on how to ride fixed. :)
It’s the documentary that the filmmakers wanted it to be and aimed at a certain audience. Of course L.A. and San Fran both have fixed communities that are much more diverse than shown in the documentary, as it should be. We do have our share of gauge earring, skinny jeans cut offs, tatted, stop sign running hipster fixed riders who have the attitude in the film though, it's a part of the cycling community just like NYC messengers.…..but then it takes a certain attitude to bomb down some of the San Fran hills fixed rather than freewheeled.:)