The History of Fixed Gear Bike Messengers

In the 1980s, bike messengers in New York City began using fixed gear bikes to make deliveries. This new style of bike messengering quickly spread to other cities, and by the 1990s, fixed gear bike messengers were a common sight in urban areas across the United States. Today, fixed gear bike messengers are still a vital part of many cities' delivery systems. They are often seen as a symbol of the city's vibrant and chaotic energy, and their skills in maneuvering through traffic are legendary. For many people, the image of the fixed gear bike messenger is synonymous with the city itself. They are a part of the fabric of urban life, and their history is as rich and colorful as the cities they inhabit.There are few people in the world who are as tough as bike messengers. They have to be. Their job is to deliver packages and messages in all kinds of weather, and they do it on a bike with no gears. That’s right, a fixed gear bike. The first bike messenger service was started in 1897 by a man named Oscar N. Spate. Spate was a bicycle enthusiast, and he saw the potential for using bikes to deliver messages and packages around New York City. His company, the New York Cycle Messenger Company, was a success, and soon other companies were springing up in cities all over the world. The job of a bike messenger has always been a tough one. They have to deal with traffic, bad weather, and sometimes angry drivers. But it’s a job that has a certain appeal to those who like a challenge. And for those who love bikes, it’s a dream job. Today, there are fewer bike messenger companies than there once were, but the job is still being done. In fact, in some cities, like New York, bike messengers are more popular than ever. And as long as there are people who need things delivered quickly, there will always be a need for bike messengers.In the early days of fixed gear bike messengers, there were few rules and even fewer regulations. This made for a wild and dangerous scene, with messengers taking whatever shortcuts they could to make a delivery. This often meant riding on the sidewalks, riding against traffic, and riding through red lights. As the years went on, the scene became more organized and regulated. Messengers started to form unions and advocacy groups, and cities began to create laws and infrastructure to better accommodate them. Today, fixed gear bike messengers are an integral part of many cities' transportation systems, and they show no signs of slowing down.