Laguna Fixed Gear Article by Scene of the South

LAGUNA FIXED GEAR

JUNE 25, 2014 / SOS PH

Here’s something that’s been catching a lot of attention lately, especially from the folks here down south. Fixed gear bikes! If you don’t know what they are, they are basically bikes with no brakes, the ones you press on the handlebar. Watch Premium Rush (2012) if you wanna see how it’s like.
Alongside their bikes, these people have also been making noise. The Laguna Fixed Gear group, better known as LFG. And some of our SOS family are also part of the LFG. And we finally have the chance to share their story with you guys.


Written by Hazel Olazo, with the help of Tuts Olazo and James Gaffud.
In the 3rd quarter of 2010, Marc Sison (TR Clothing) introduced the fixed gear bicycle also known as track bike to his friend, Tuts Olazo. Tuts became interested on fixed gear and got in touch with his schoolmates from college, Vermont Coronel, Jzn Palma (Bisiktela) and I Palma, who were one of the pioneer members of Manila Fixed Gear, a group of people around Metro Manila sharing the same passion for fixed gear bikes. Around the same time, Tuts together with his other college friends who are also living in San Pedro, Laguna, namely Franco Evangelista and James Gaffud, started having weekend rides but were then using different bicycles such as MTB, road bike and single speed. They have invited more friends to join their regular weekend rides and have then formed a group called ABC (Assorted Bikers Collective) in the early part of 2011.

Over time, some of the members of ABC developed interest in fixed gear and have switched from then on. New acquaintances who were into fixed gear, Jepren Solis, Michael Torio, Marc Edig, Ewat Ang as well as Tuts’ brother, Jut Olazo joined their group which grew not just in numbers but also in their passion and enthusiasm on fixed gear. In 2013, they founded a new group, the San Pedro Crew, because most of its members lived in San Pedro, Laguna. As they were extending their reach outside San Pedro, the group continuously expanded and decided to call themselves the Laguna Fixed Gear. They created a Facebook page that serves as a venue for them to share their love and interest on fixed gear and at the same time widen their network, which has now reached 300+ members.

Since then, they have already organized several events such as Alley Cat Race, Long Rides and occasional Meet and Greet to strengthen their solidarity. They have also participated in various events managed by other fixed gear clusters in and out of the metro. Currently, the Laguna Fixed Gear have regular “tambikes” in Southwoods City and every Monday night with the 402Fixed crew at Giligans SM Sta. Rosa.

*originally posted on sceneofthesouth.com/laguna-fixed-gear
*article currently resides at https://web.archive.org/…/sceneofthesouth…/laguna-fixed-gear
-1ijack