Safety concerns rise as fixies gain popularity among Korean teenagers
by KoreaJoongAngDaily
A middle school student surnamed Kim, 14, shows off his fixed-gear bicycle, commonly referred to as a ″fixie,″ at Olympic Park in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on May 2. [JOONGANG ILBO]
Safety concerns are growing over fixed-gear bicycles, or "fixies," which have become increasingly popular among Korean teenagers.
These bicycles, which lack brakes or other speed control mechanisms and can reach very high speeds, are not classified as bicycles under current road traffic laws, leaving a legal gray area regarding their use.
On Friday, at Olympic Park in Songpa District, southern Seoul, a 17-year-old student who only wanted to be identified by his surname Im , was seen enjoying skidding — a maneuver where the rider drags the wheels to create friction.
Im, who rides his fixie over 30 minutes a day from his home in Gwangjin District to school, said he recently broke his arm in an accident but still doesn't want to give up riding.
“I feel a thrill from the speed and showing off tricks,” he said.
Fixie bikes are commercialized versions of racing bicycles that use a fixed gear, without brakes or gear shifters. While standard bicycles use brake systems for stopping, fixie riders use special shoes to pedal backward or place their feet on the wheels to stop. Some models come with brakes, but many teens remove them because they say it “doesn’t look cool.
Another student surnamed Kim, 14, a second-year student at Seondeok Middle School, said, “More than five out of 27 students in my class ride fixies to school.”
A high school student, alias Im Jung-su, shows off tricks on his fixed-gear bicycle at Olympic Park in Songpa District, southern Seoul on May 2. [JOONGANG ILBO]
“I thought the tricks I saw on YouTube looked cool, so I sold my old bike and put together money to buy a fixie for 7 million won [$5,020],” said Kim.
Despite prices ranging from 1.5 million to 15 million won, fixies have become trendy among teenagers.
“Fixies have always been popular, but over the past three years, our customer base has expanded to teenagers,” said a representative from Fixed Gear Seoul. “Students in grades four to six in elementary school account for 30 percent of customers, and including middle and high school students, they make up about 60 percent of the total.”
Despite their popularity, regulations on fixie bikes are virtually nonexistent. Because fixies without brakes do not qualify as bicycles under the current Road Traffic Act, they cannot legally be used on roads or bicycle paths. Riding them on sidewalks is also illegal. There is no requirement to wear a helmet, as is the case for motorcycles.
This has led to many inquiries to government agencies responsible for bicycle-related policies, including the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
A guide on fixed-gear bicycles from the Ministry of Interior and Safety [MINISTRY OF INTERIOR AND SAFETY]
“We receive constant inquiries from parents asking what a fixie bike is and whether it can be used on bike paths,” said an official from the Interior Ministry. “We inform them that under current law, fixies without brakes are not permitted on bike paths or roads.”
Some parents have expressed concern.
“I don’t know if it’s right to buy a 1 million won bike for a child,” said one parent of an elementary school student. “It doesn’t even look safe.”
Some schools have even sent letters home advising parents not to buy fixies for their children.
Experts emphasize the need for clear legal standards and public guidance regarding fixie bikes.
“The problem is that people aren't being penalized for riding fixies, and local governments show little willingness to enforce any rules,” said Lee Jae-young, a senior researcher at the Daejeon Sejong Research Institute. “We need relevant laws, government-issued guidelines and a public awareness campaign.”
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
Reference Written by SHIN HYE-YEON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr] Provided by Korea JoongAng Daily
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