Wang Yuanyuan

    cheekywang@hotmail.com

    SINCE he was a little boy, Liao Xirong has always been the sporty type. Now, as a 21-year-old, he is getting closer to his dream of becoming a professional cyclist on fixed-gear bicycles.

    Fixed-gear bicycles, also known as fixed-wheel bicycles or fixies, have a drivetrain with no freewheel mechanism. The fixie culture derives from the cycling habits of couriers in New York. It later became popular in Japan and spread around the world, becoming a major subculture.

    “I like all sports, but when I first saw a fixie, I could not help falling in love with it. It is so cool and challenging, which was just what I was looking for,” he said.

    Liao is now among the country’s first batch of fixie fans and he hopes to be among the earliest professional fixie cyclists in China.

    In 2011, he founded the city’s first fixie team and won several local competitions. “My biggest dream is to compete with top professional cyclists from other countries, becoming the first Chinese to win a top international competition,” he said.

    “In the beginning, I thought it was cool. After all those experiences, I thought it had taught me a lot, the spirit of persistence and pursuit of excellence,” he said.

    In love with fixies

    Born in 1990 in Henggang Subdistrict, Longgang District, Liao has always been energetic.

    “I played basketball, football and all sports that a boy might love. I even spent years learning hip-hop dancing, but when I saw a fixie for the first time, I knew that that was what I wanted,” he said.

    Liao first saw a fixie on TV in 2009. “I’d never seen a bicycle like that before. Both front and back wheels can jump up and down and can go forwards or backwards at anytime. It was so cool,” he said.

    Liao then started searching across the city for the “magic bicycle” but failed.

    However, within a few months, he happened to discover that one of his dancing friends had bought one in Hong Kong. “It was so cool. I spent days on the bicycle and could not get enough of it, so I told myself that I had to have one at any cost,” he joked.

    Liao then borrowed 2,000 yuan (US$320) from his father and set about making one of his own. “I did not have enough money to buy a good one,” he said.

    After much reading and practicing, Liao finally got his first fixie. “It was not a special fixie, but I was still proud of it because I made it myself,” he said.

    Practicing hard

    After completing the bike, Liao would train for at least four hours a day.

    “It was very difficult because there were no training programs or teachers. I could only watch videos on the Internet and try to learn from foreign cyclists. But it was still hard, as I did not know exactly how they developed their skills, so I could only try over and over again and ended up falling to the ground every time until I finally managed it,” he said.

    Liao has sustained injuries and scars all over his body. “I don’t remember how many falls I had when I wanted to turn around the frontwheel while riding. I am now a regular at the orthopaedics clinic,” he said.

    However, he never thought about giving up to pursue things that are less risky. “My mother said it was too dangerous and she hoped I would do something safer, but I could not stop. It was not an interest of mine. I always pursue challenges. I could not just let it go,” he said.

    Liao has always remembered what his father told him. “He said that a man would be like an empty shell if he did not have an interest or dream. I will never forget these words and they were the power that drove me,” he said.

    In August 2010, Shenzhen hosted its first contest for fixies and more than 30 cyclists from 20 teams from Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Dongguan joined the competition, including Liao.

    “It was the first time I had taken part in a fixie competition. I was so nervous. But luckily I won. And winning the contest made me think more about what I would do in the future,” he said.

    Promoting the sport

    Now Liao is the owner of a fixie garage and the captain of his fixie team. Every week, he voluntarily coaches more than 100 fixie lovers on Henggang Cultural Square.

    “I did not plan to set up the team. It just happened naturally as nobody could resist the charm of fixies,” he said.

    When people see Liao and his friends practicing on the square, they are compelled to join in. “Once a young boy who lived off recycled garbage came up to me, saying he had been watching us for a long time and really wanted to learn. The next day, he brought a second-hand bicycle and we started rebuilding it. He is now one of the key members of our team,” he said.

    At present, there were more than 100 regular fixie cyclists in Henggang and more than 400 in Longgang District. They often gather together to share their skills and experience and Liao was the absolute leader.

    “All of our projects were free. I did not think much about making money from it. I just wanted to promote the sport across the city, letting more young people fall in love with the sport. This does not only promote its development in China but also help young people find a more positive and energetic way of life,” he said.

    “I like all sports, but when I first saw a fixie, I could not help falling in love with it. It is so cool and challenging, which was just what I was looking for.”

    — Liao Xirong, a cyclist on fixed-gear bicycles