Ok, so for those who follow the online fixed community, you’ll no-doubt know that when it comes to Australian sites, Andy’s fyxomatosis.com and Dan’s shifterbikes.com are the two leaders of the pack (bad pun). There’s recently been a little bit of controversy over a new website (fixxxation.org, currently offline) that’s sprung up, and its similarity to Andy’s site. Understandable, because the likeness is a little strong. We’re a bit low on content here at the moment, so I thought I’d post up my 2c, as cross-posted from the fixed.org.au forums.
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I think the level of animosity from certain well established members of the online and offline fixed community members has been a bit excessive in regards to this site. No one’s going to deny that the similarities are a little too much, and that a slightly more personal take on things would be a little more successful. However, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I think it only goes to show how ingrained into the Australian fixed gear culture Andy and Dan are.
That said, I feel it’s extremely naive for people who run blog websites to feel they somehow have a claim on things that have been done by others for many years. You’ll find a lot of sites where posts use the ‘we’ reference, rather that ‘I’, none of them restricted to the Fixed/SS community. It’s a popular way of writing when referring to a named company/group/partnership/website.
Let’s not pretend that Dan is the first person to replace a single ‘x’ with ‘xxx’. I’m sure he’d see no point in changing his ways if he found another website that had been doing it longer.
Similarly, I hardly think Andy is the only person who enjoys photography as well as riding fixed. Not only that, but there are many other people out there who sell track gear online.
All that said, I love Andy and Dan and everything they do. I think they do a killer job, run interesting and amusing websites, and have been beyond helpful to me when asked for advice and parts. This community, both locally and internationally, wouldn’t be the same without them doing what they’re doing, and having such a dedication to it.
I just think it’s a little unfair to jump so heavily on someone else who is obviously new to online content, simply because of heavy influence from people who have seemingly influenced most of us. The whole fixxxation (see what I did there?) on being the most old-school and the most real and in the game for the longest does no one any favours when it turns into a way to cut others down for their own enthusiasm.
Let’s keep it all friendly, ’cause I’m pretty sure that’s the best way for it to be.
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Original context (offsite link)