my name is richie ditta and i have been riding fixed gears since 1994
OK SO WHAT DREW YOU TO RIDING FIXED ?
i meet some messengers in NYC that were riding them. i was drawn into the simplicity of the bike and the connection to the pedaling.
VERY COOL MAN , SO YOU WERE A BIKE MESSENGER FOR SOME TIME CORRECT ? , WHERE DID YOU MESSENGER AT AND HOW DID YOU LIKE IT ?
i was a messenger in nyc from around 1992 till 1996. then i was a messenger in san francisco from 1996 till around 2006. i liked it a lot, i was outside all day and i got to ride my bike. it had its downsides too, like bad weather and shitty security guards
DID YOU GET ALOT OF SHIT FROM SECURITY BEING A MESSENGER ? AND HOW HARD IS IT DOING THAT JOB WHEN TEH WEATHER IS JUST BEYOND BAD ?
in nyc the messengers got no respect. we had to take the freight elevators that took forever..time is money when you are a messenger.also riding a fixed gear in the snow was great because you still had a way to control your rear wheel for stops and gears weren't frozen. just had to deal with frozen toes. in s.f. the hills were the challenge, security was ok until after 9-11 then everything went to shit for every messenger cause security was super tight. we knew those buildings better then some of the new guards they had hired.
i always rode brakeless btw . .
EVEN BEFORE YOU RODE FIXED ??!!
no, when riding fixed. you put a brake on your bike in nyc and people know you dont got skillz. gotta learn by doing.
I VERY MUCH AGREE WITH THAT ! , SO YOU WERE IN MASH (one of the greatest fixed gear films ever made in my opinion) HOWD YOU GET HOOKED UP WITH THAT ? AND HOW WAS FILMING YOUR PART ?
i had meet mike martin at one of the block party's he would have and he asked me if i would be willing to be in a fixed gear video. the hipster scene in s.f. was just starting to take off so i was a little hesitant at first. after meeting him a few times and seeing how they were using the scooter for filming i agreed. my wife was pregnant at the time and by the time i had been filmed my son was already 5 months old. i was supposed to go out and film more but i only got that one day in and it was after not riding for a while. it explains why i have such a limited amount in the book too. i was trying to get out one more day on the hills but it never happened. i still think it turned out ok and am still glad to be part of the mash crew.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE DIRECTION THE FIXED SCENE HAS GONE OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO ?
over the last ten years or so!
HAHAHA OK THEN OVER THE LAST 10YRS !
first it was classic, then njs, then aerohipster (referring to the dummys who put two areospokes on conversions) and now its trick (or tarck, 700cmx)..its all going to progress in different directions. i am cool with that. i just hope that people know the roots before they jump in head first and go overboard. and of course are having fun, cause it shouldn't be just a fashion show.
I COULDNT AGREE MORE DUDE ! SO LAST QUESTION . . WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE WHOLE FIXED FREESTYLE THING ?
i think its cool, some of the cmx guys are killing it! i can appreciate tricks on a drop bar bike because its harder and of course that not what they were made for. that was always my thing, having my bike that goes fast and making money messengering. but when i was standing by between runs i was playing around and doing tricks i had seen others do or just making up my own. times have changed since i first saw this guy trying to do a no-handed wheelie in washington square park. the industry is also supporting the freestyle movement by making better stuff so these guys can go bigger...so we still have yet to see everything!
WELL RICHIE THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR DOING THIS INTERVIEW IT MEANS ALOT ! ANY SHOUTOUTS YOUD LIKE TO GIVE ?
stay classy san diego, especially to the o.g.'s and the newbies alike. rubber side down!!
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