Fixed gear bikes beginning to hit large Chinese cities…

The emergence of fixed gear bike culture has begun to descend upon China’s larger cities of Beijing and Shanghai. This popular counter-culture mode of transportation has its roots in large urban areas of the United States and Europe and represents both a lifestyle accessory as well as a simple means of getting from point A to B.

Fixed gear bikes are popular because of their simple design, their customizable attributes and their functionality. Riders can swiftly and deftly maneuver through urban streets without worrying about gears or braking. Slightly dangerous yes, but risk only adds to the youth counter-cultural appeal.

Fixed gear bikes are nothing new in terms of bike technology, but their popularity in small pockets of Chinese sub-cultural groups began to emerge in Beijing and Shanghai in 2008. Some people may view this simply as a trend proliferated by foreigners, but we also see strong growth potential among local Chinese markets.

Several international brands have begun to align themselves with the local Chinese fixed gear movement, such as Adidas, Oakley, and Microsoft by sponsoring a local Beijing fixed gear bike event, titled “Beijing Fixed Gear Revolution”.

In Chinese, there are three ways fixed gear biking is expressed. Most often used is the English, “fixed gear”. A more technical term is 齿轮固定车, or literally “gear fixed bike”, and the term coined by the Beijing Fixed Gear Revolution group is 死飞, or “dead fly[wheel]“.

We’ve identified three reasons brands should keep an eye on the fixed gear bike revolution in China:

• Fixed Gear Bikes are customizable and easy to personify. They help to add missing elements of a Ge Xing and fashionable lifestyle to an otherwise traditional method of transportation.
• Biking is something that resonates with both young and old generations. Parents are less likely to discourage their child from riding a fixed gear bike because they know and understand bicycles.
• Fixed Gear Bikes are conducive for urban environments where biking is already and always permitted, so it is perhaps less frowned upon compared to other action sports.

We will be tracking the growth of fixed gear biking in China to see if it can transcend into the lower tier Chinese cities, which is imperative if it is to see massive growth.