Shift into fixed gear

Those who work in the shadows often yearn for greater exposure, except vampires, who are totally upset about their diaries being read on television -- that was personal, CW! Moving out of obscurity, Fast Folks.Texas's first dedicated fixed-gear/single-speed bicycle shop has just moved from an underground artist studio to prime East 6th real estate, complete with eye-catching touches like a giant exterior skull mural comprised of bike parts and a window shutter that functions on a pulley system of chains and crank hubs, so if you receive a call from someone with a hilarious ethnic accent, you'll know where it's coming from. Coinciding with the relocation, they've unveiled a slew of new bikes from manufacturers like Retrospec (starting at $380) and Italy's hand-built specialists Cinelli, plus shock-absorbing Big Block frames from All City and custom forked Affinitys out of the BK; sweet holdovers include a clear-coated, Pabst-logo-covered Traitor frame, though its original allegiance was to High Life. They've also upped their gear game, with reinforced crotch jeans from Cadence, speaker-equipped backpacks from Fydelity, and new tees like one transposing a schnauzer onto a bike frame called "Of Course I'm Fixed", but for safety he should still wear a helmet. For accomplished riders/those who love the thrill of defeat, the shop's hosting First Friday alley-cat races where up to 30 bikes cruise backstreets for cash prizes -- a prime opportunity for you to move out of obscurity, and crash into a one-tree hill.