Fast bikes. No brakes. Big hills. Stranger examines San Francisco’s fixed-gear bicycle culture and the film that has thrown it into the spotlight.

First published Stranger 15 - June 2007

All photos courtesy of Mike Martin and Gabe Morford

San Francisco

So while riding track bicycles – machines with one gear, no freewheel and no brakes designed for the relative safety of the velodrome – around any city is an interesting thing, riding them around the streets of San Francisco is just a little more so. Once just the preserve of the bicycle messenger, fixed-gear bikes have grown in popularity in recent years and nowhere has it been more prominent than San Francisco. Born from the challenge of riding these bikes in a city that demands skill, style and bravery in equal measure, comes Mash, an hour-long documentary by photographers Mike Martin and Gabe Morford, that captures these riders in full flow as they bomb hills and navigate streets sans brakes. What follows over the next few pages is a look at the film, its makers, its subjects and the cultural phenomenon of the fixie…

The early years

Mike Martin, a photographer by trade, began filming Mash in 2003. “I started filming some of my friends with the initial thought being that I would make this short video to show other kids how the dudes I was riding with rode because maybe it was different to New York or Los Angeles, just because of the way this city is laid out. I submitted a 30-second little film to the Bicycle Film Festival in hope of them holding a spot for the San Francisco festival where I could show a 10-minute video we could all go see.”

But soon after meeting skateboard photographer and filmer Gabe Morford, it became apparent that the Mash project was evolving into something else. Something much bigger. “We’re both kinda workaholics and when we get our minds set on something we really push on it,” says Mike. “We were really pushing each other, like ‘I got these photos today’; ‘I got this clip’. It just turned into this OCD development project.”

The streets of San Francisco

“Compared to, say, New York, the traffic here moves pretty fast,” says Mike, explaining how the city directly influences the riding style of the 13 cyclists featured in Mash. “Plus the blocks are a little longer, so cars really get up to speed and so do you.” And then of course there are the hills. “Riders come from out of town and don’t realise the danger of the hills,” says Benny Gold, Mash art director and fixed-gear bike rider. “I live downtown on the top of some big hills, so the learning curve for me was very fast.” But the challenge that San Francisco offers matches the challenge of the bikes themselves. “To adapt these brakeless bikes to the street is a challenge in itself and that’s part of the appeal for everyone. To learn how to skateboard is hard. To learn how to surf is hard. And to learn to ride these bikes is hard too. Certain types of people inherently like that challenge and I think this city nurtures that.”

The cast

Mash takes a form similar to skateboard films, with each rider having his own section. “I guess it’s a documentary, or a document in that sense of the word,” says Mike. “But it’s really more of a functional film about riding versus a narrative that involves a lot of dialogue.” The featured riders are a mixed bunch; some are bike messengers, while others use their bikes for transportation. But all have developed their own style. “It’s so sick to be able to tell someone from the way they ride without even seeing the person’s face,” says Benny. 

The bikes

Fixed-gear bikes have a sparse, stripped-down beauty. Devoid of brakes and multiple gears, they are simplicity personified. But their recent popularity now comes at a price. “It’s crazy how it’s gone through the roof,” says Mike. “Even five years ago you could pretty much get what you wanted for  $300. But not now! Plus it kinda bums me out to see people take a national treasure – Japan and Italy have all these frame builders that are really classic – pay really inflated prices and then just go beat them up on the streets. Once they are broken that’s something gone from the history books. We’re more into what’s functional, affordable and has longevity.”

The filming

“It has its own set of challenges – keeping up with the riders and keeping a steady shot is no easy task. It was exciting doing something different for a change. I’ve been shooting mostly stills for 20 years and this project let me be creative with an activity that I love in a different medium. It was great.”
– Gabe Morford  

Don't believe the hype

Take a look around any major city and you will now see fixed-gear bikes being ridden by cyclists who don’t get paid to deliver packages. The hype surrounding the Mash release has certainly helped fuel the fire, but the film is strictly about riding. Followers of fashion should look elsewhere. However, Mike remains philosophical about the surge in popularity of fixed-gear bikes. “I’m grateful that cycling is getting some attention. Looking at the big picture, it’s cool that people are thinking about bikes, talking about bikes, building bikes,” he says. “And I hope that kids who find these kind of bikes aren’t for them don’t fall out of love with bikes in general. I hope they find a bike for them. Anything so people don’t get back into their cars on a Monday.”

The new skateboarding? 

“It’s not skateboarding. Skateboarding is skateboarding. I guess neither of them have brakes! That’s about as far as I can go with the comparison.”
– Mike Martin

Mash is available now on DVD. Check mashsf.com for more details. The London Bicycle Film Festival runs from 16-20 October 2007. Check bicyclefilmfestival.com for more details.