Wonderful customised bikes

I don't know what happened, I just was minding my own business and I came across an itty-bitty East London bike revolution. (London is the fastest growing cycling city in Europe right now - says the London Paper)   The fixed gear bike is the one with the bright chains, colour clash and ridden with super-cool attitude. Fancy bikes they are indeed..oohhh lala!  They rule the show!  To me it's statis and price smell like a badge of honour from the bike messenger to the who-ever. They really do stand out.   The ones who can't quite afford the FGs, have taken to customising.  There are some pretty cool efforts out there too.  What the Londoners may lack in funds, they make up for in creativity.  Driving the whole customisation thing: I'm not sure if that's because bikes get nicked so often in Hackney but, there are some really nice specimens around.  Now that I'm hooked in by the almost endless resourcefulness of these bikes, I can't stop taking photos of them.  

On a recent trip to Paris, I tried to do the same.  Parisians are just not as into it in the same way.  They have jacked-up antiques with chipped paint and a bit of stenciling.  I still like these.  The thing I like most is that the Parisians  use crazy things for baskets.  Again, there's the whole colour clash element - that I LOVE! but otherwise London is rocking the best range of two wheeled delights.