Inspired by bicycle messengers and racers, a new group of Western youths are jetting through the city streets on fixed-gear bicycles. Now, the trend is gaining momentum on the streets of China.
受到自行车邮递员和自行车赛车手的启发，西方国家一些年轻人流行骑着固定齿轮自行车（又名死飞）在城市的街道间飞速穿梭。现在，这一热潮正在中国的街头蔓延。
A fixed-gear bike is a bicycle whose pedals rotate at all times, even when coasting. To stop, riders must pedal in reverse, which diffentiates from road bikes. Due to their efficiency, fixies offer riders a new cycling perspective. Many young people use them as an alternative mode of transportation and as a leisure activity.
固定齿轮自行车是一种需要人一直不停地踩的自行车，即使在滑行时也要一直踩。与公路赛不同，死飞在刹车时需要人反向踩踏板。因其高效，死飞为骑行者带来新的体验。许多年轻人将其作为一种另类的出行方式或是休闲活动。
Reliable and cool
可靠又酷炫
Fixies not only are more economical to purchase and easy to maintain than geared bikes, but also possess a sleek appearance. These qualities appeal to youths lacking time and money but wanting to find cool ways to navigate cities.
死飞经济实惠，比（活动）齿轮自行车更易保养，还拥有时尚炫酷的外形。对于那些时间有限、囊中羞涩却还想以炫酷的方式在城市穿梭的年轻人而言，死飞的这些特点正合心意。
Chen Chi, a 23-year-old fixie enthusiast and event organizer, has noticed that more and more young people in Beijing like riding fixies.
陈驰（音译）是一名23岁的死飞爱好者，也是活动的组织者。他发现，在北京，死飞受到越来越多年轻人的青睐。
Apart from their reliability, Chen says fixed gear bikes make cycling cool. “Most people choose public transportation to visit places, but what I usually do is certainly out of the ordinary,” said Chen.
陈驰说，除了可靠性，死飞这种齿轮固定的自行车也让骑行变得更酷，“大多数人都会选择公共交通工具去旅行观光，但是我却喜欢不走寻常路。”
More than a trend
趋势之外
Zhang Jiali, a 22-year-old graduate student at University of Hong Kong, was introduced to this type of bicycle during her sophomore year. She was so impressed with the bikes that she decided to turn her interest into a business. Zhang opened a fixie shop in Hong Kong, which her staff maintains in her absence. She sees riding fixies as a lifestyle choice rather than a trend.
22岁的张佳丽（音译）是香港大学的一名研究生。她在大二时第一次接触到死飞，就对死飞一见钟情，遂决定将兴趣转化为生意。张佳丽在香港开了一家死飞店，并雇了员工在她不在时打理生意。她认为死飞不仅是一种流行时尚，更是一种生活方式的选择。
She and her friends travel in informal crews and share techniques.
她和朋友们组成非正式的团队，相互交流骑车技巧。
“When we are riding, we have the opportunity to look around and discover. It is not only a form of transportation, but a way of life,” said Zhang. “We burn calories instead of fuel, and the energy we utilize brings us to a better place.”
张佳丽说，“骑行让我们有机会四处游览、不断发现。这不只是一种交通方式，更是一种生活方式，我们不烧汽油却燃烧了卡路里，并用这些能量探寻更好的地方。
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