Core77

Two Wheels Good

By Steve Portigal - January 8, 2007

in Object Culture

Bike messengers as fashion icons? Not a new phenomenon, of course, but what happens to the ideals within a community when their symbols (of identity and authenticity and insider status) appeal to a larger group? The bicycle messenger's identity begins, unsurprisingly, with the bike. And no bicycle is more emblematic of the devil-may-care lifestyle of couriers than the brakeless, fixed-gear track bike. ...Taken purely as a fashion accessory, the track bike must rank somewhere between cigarettes and high heels as a health hazard to its operator.

"They're dangerous," says Larry Morris of nonmessenger -- or "fakengers," as he calls them -- track bikes. If Rainey made bike messengers look bad to a mainstream audience, courier bag designers are making them look good. Timbuk2 may be the trendiest bag maker among the noncourier public, but messengers say they prefer side slings made by designers who have been messengers themselves.

"You hardly see anybody with Timbuk2," says John "Ducky" Williams, 20, a messenger for King Courier. "They're not the most durable bags out there. And I want to support bag companies owned by former messengers."

Williams carries a messenger bag by R.E.Load, a company started in 1998 by a pair of Philadelphia bike couriers. Morris sports a side sling by Travis Poh's Freight Baggage. Poh, who still works as a messenger in San Francisco, sells off-the-rack and custom-made bags at the Freewheel Bike Shop, with one location on Valencia street and another on Hayes Street.

"It's the best bag I've ever had," says Morris.

Messenger bags, built to be durable and waterproof, are a hit with the nonmessengering public as well.

"We probably sell more to nonmessengers than messengers," says Poh of Freight Baggage.

Hinds admits that when it comes to bags, for her at least, fashion has trumped functionality.

"I don't like having stuff everybody else has, but I finally break down and get it," she says, nodding to her Freight bag. "I actually prefer a backpack to a side sling, because of better weight distribution, but ..."

Williams, a student at the Academy of Art, says his look is a mix of form and function. The scrunchy key chain he keeps on his arm, his fingerless gloves, stiff sneakers and hip pouch are necessary for the job. But his earring and the patches on his courier bag -- bearing the logo of Mouthpiece, a straightedge band from New Jersey -- tell a more specific story about who he is.

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carl

13 years ago

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amen Legion. I made my own bag cause nobody in my area carried a decent sling bag... 100% recycled canvas and waterproofed with army tent sealant.

as for fixies... never could get completely used to them. only reason i have one is for the rare occasion i have to ride out to the boonies for a drop. my problem is how every hipster teen has one nowadays and dont know how to ride them safely or effectively, i have to dodge more teens on fixies on the street than i do cars in cross-traffic...
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Legion the Legend

14 years ago

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In response to the article and the above posts: Timbuk 2 bags kicked ass in the early nineties, then it was and somewhat still is the Chrome bag; but the smaller courier desgined bag companies bags kick the crap out of any mass produced bag. There's one from Seattle, not sure of the name; but it has a tag that has "Ag 76 " on it, meaning the bag ia made from 76% recycled materials ( innertubes, seatbelts, and so on ).
As for the Track bikes, being the 1st courier in my area to rock one at work; I can see the attraction to using one, but my extremely aggressive riding style made for to many close calls and even a complete 360 through a corner in the rain that resulted in NO CRASH ( still can't figure out how I pulled that one off ). These days, EVERYBODY has a Fixie, a Chrome bag, and a Mini Krypto tucked into the back pocket of their spandex cutoff jeans. I personally like a free-wheel, and the Fixie for the Loooong flat rides or the Track.

As for the part about us being " Pricks! ", we are; and I proudly say that, since I'm one of the biggest.

On the Road for 25 years and still going, just about to hit 40, look like and feel like I'm in my early 20's, and can ride, party, and destroy the best of them, not to mention the 20 something girls that I have no problem picking up. At my age, most guys are 30 lbs overweight, going bald, three kids, three ex-wifes and bankrupt. God I LOVE being a Bike courier!
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James

17 years ago

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Messengers have never been the only riders to use fixed gear bikes on the road. All bikes were fixed before about 1890 and they never really went away. I have been riding my track bike on the road during the off-season for about 20 years. Of course track racers use track bikes, but road racers have used fixed gears for training for a long time too. Track bikes are pure, simple machines, which is why they appeal to messengers as well as to other groups of cyclists.
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Shaner

17 years ago

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One word: Quicksilver (the movie)
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a35mmlife

17 years ago

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this article makes the messengers sound like pricks. cuz only people who deliver mail can ride a track bike successfully. bike jocks are still jocks...

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