Ever since Lee Ui-jung came back to Seoul after a trip to London about half a decade ago, he has continuously searched for the same kind of bike he saw there ― colorful, slim, a design quite foreign and intriguing. After some arduous searching, he found what he was looking for: a second-hand track-racing bicycle he ended up purchasing.

The bicycle he had spotted in London was a trendy fixed gear, already mainstream in other countries like England, the United States and Japan. Figuring there must be other people like him, Lee opened up LSD, a fixed-gear store, in 2007. And he proved right.

“Fixies” have now pedaled onto the Korean biking scene in recent years, becoming a trendy and fashionable item for younger Koreans, associated with a hip, urban lifestyle.

Unlike road and mountain bikes, fixed-gear bicycles have a single gear that is attached to the bicycle’s rear wheel.

Fixed-gear bicycles cannot freely coast. When the pedals are moving, the wheels are spinning, and when the pedaling stops, the wheels cease to move, too.

“(Fixed-gear riding) is stylish, exciting,” Lee said. “It’s addictive.”

Commonly known as a “hipster” staple, younger riders flock to fixed gears. Besides being a fashion item, they’re ridden for general transportation, doing tricks or competitive track racing.

Jay Kim, a fixed-gear cyclist and owner of bike shop Fixiemeister in southern Seoul, estimated about 10 percent of cyclists ride fixed gear. In his store, with 43 bikes in the front showcase forming a rainbow of metal, young male cyclists flow in and out throughout the day.

Bicycle shops that are opened to customize or sell only fixed-gear bikes can now be found throughout Seoul, unlike earlier in the 2000s when fixed-gear bikes were unknown to most. Lee Ok, owner of Bike Nara in western Seoul, says he sells about 10 fixed-gear bikes each month. In 2011, Lee said he sold approximately 150 fixed-gear bikes, up from just 30 to 40 the previous year.

Cyclists and storeowners say online videos of people in different countries doing tricks and riding fixed-gear bicycles popularized the bicycle.

“I felt it’s kind of cool,” said Kim Gwang-hyun, who has used his fixed-gear bicycle for freestyle riding for five years. He originally got his fixed gear after watching U.S. video clips.

Fixed-gear groups, such as Seoul Fixed Gear, Fixed Gear Girls and Keep It Trick have web sites and forums to share photos and discuss bicycles and other topics. Videos of Seoul fixed-gear cyclists can be found on YouTube and Vimeo. “Save the Bike Lane,” a short documentary by Seoul Got Soul, features fixed-gear cyclists as it explains the need for more bike lanes.

Some choose the fixed-gear bike for its simplicity. Not having to deal with cleaning the gear cassette and derailleurs, which are absent from fixed gears, was attractive to Fritz Schmitt, who lives in a Seoul suburb and goes with the monthly Seoul Critical Mass group bike ride, which attracts cyclists with all different types of bicycles.

The lightweight, slender bicycle was also attractive, as they’re easier to move around, he said. At the LSD store, fixed-gear bicycles weigh an average of 8 to 9 kilograms, using light materials such as carbon fiber, chromoly and titanium.

While the majority of fixed-gear riders are younger, those who competitively track race tend to be a bit older.

Fixed-gear track riding, optimized for racing in a velodrome, has also increased in popularity in recent years. Amateur and professional track racers can now practice at several Seoul-area locations.

The price of fixed-gear bicycles for track racing can run upwards of 8 million won ($7,000), up to five times the price of a regular one, according to Lee Hyun-ook, an amateur track and road racer. Cheap fixed-gear bicycles in Korea cost around 400,000 won ($350). With an average price of about 1 million won ($875), they appeal to younger cyclists with their affordability, said Kim.

But in the end, it’s all about style.

Schmitt rides his fixed gear for a nice urban ride and transportation, but he sees a “Fixie Crew” in his local park doing bike tricks and hanging out. “The image of the fixed gear is as important as what the bike does,” Schmitt said. “(It’s) not so plain (in Korea).”

Kim Kooky, art director of Kasina, a clothing and apparel store in western Seoul, puts fixed-gear bicycles outside the store because they are a fashion statement and represent the clothing line. “The fixie bikes, in a sense, represent what the store is trying to do,” he said.

For those interested in riding in Seoul, there are many options for beginners to experienced cyclists. Seoul Critical Mass runs once a month through Seoul. Participants ride the same route each week. Weekly Saturday rides on various mountain bike trails are organized in the spring, summer and fall. Web sites such as MTBK Korea and Cycling in Korea provide information, and Facebook groups such as the Han River Riders also provide resources on all types of bicycles, trails and group rides. 

(Yonhap News)