“Save gas and they’re fast.” These are the words that senior Rashid Barney uses to explain the exploding desire for fixies.
Fixies, slimmer than most bikes, are both fast and convenient. This new trend has changed the way people get around town, especially with the constantly rising gas prices. These new innovative bikes are a great alternative for anyone on the go.
The year was 2006 when his bike wheel ended up broken. He called a bike shop and found that fixing it would cost $50.
Appalled with the expense, he tried to fix it himself and succeeded. Since then he has never gone to a bike shop to get his bike fixed.

 
Barney has used his craftsmanship as an effective way to build and fix things, and now make money. Initially, Barney began with fixing regular bikes, and adjusted to fixing fixies.
Barney learned that the difficulties in fixing regular bikes were not the same as working with fixies. “Fixies are their own thing; they are different from regular bikes.”
Last year he started to fix fixies, and he became very good at it. This new realization enabled Barney to make quick cash.
“The last time I worked on someones bike I made about $30.” Since his customers know how expensive getting their bike fixed at a shop is, Barney is their first call.
“I get about four people a week.”
By charging $30 for each bike, he earns about $120 a week.
Fixing fixies makes it possible for Barney to be his own boss. He controls how much work he gets, and how many hours he works. By using his own personal skills he’s made himself a true entrepreneur.
This new found entrepreneurship has helped him try to save cash for greater things, like his new car. He had saved his money to build up his vintage 1981 Chevy pickup and pay for the gas.
Almost every weekend he is outside working on his new car. However, although his car consumes some of his time, he still finds time to fix and build bikes. He has established that making money is capable for anyone with some sort of skill.
Repairing fixies isn’t as simple as people may think.
“You have to take time and be very careful.” His love of craftsmanship motivates him to finish a bike with as much care as possible.
“I trust him, he does a good job,and gets it done right,” senior Bryan Morales said. Barney uses his skill not only to just fix the bike, but also to show his customers how they can fix it themselves.
“If its something simple he’ll just tell me what to do, if not you can just ask and he’ll fix it for you,” Morales said.
Throughout Stockton you can catch people riding fixies. From young to old, groups of people have followed the new trend. For Barney, fixies are “comfortable and easy to ride.”
Fixies are a very popular bike and probably will continue to be, thus most likely making Barney’s job a lasting one.