Community - Club

Texie on a gathering/ Photo: Novri TNOL

UPON HEARING the word "Texie", surely one thing that comes to mind is a quite convenient means of transportation, the Taxi. Why? Because it sounds a bit like the mileage-fared public transportation, which continues to run according to the mileage.

However, the word "Texie" here is not like that. Texie is a community consisting of people who like to ride their Fixie bicycles in Tebet area. And, they named themselves as the Tebet Fixie (Texie) Community.

Photo: Doc."Our secretariate is at my house in Tebet. I've created the Fixie community with my hangout friends," said the Texie Coordinator, Albi Rufi Fernando or usually called Nando to TNOL, at Menteng Park recently.

Texie/ doc.According to Nando, the precursor of the formation of this community originated from his junior high school friend who lived in the UK, who introduced him the Fixie bike. Feeling not knowing much about the bike, had made Nando curious.

He also tried the Fixie bike by borrowing from his friend. From such exercises and trials, he eventually fell in love on the Fixie. Nando then decided to form the Texie community.

Unfortunately, he did not remember the exact date of the community formation. "This community has just been formed about eight months ago," he explained.

Photo: doc. Initially, the community consisted of only 10 members, but this time they have already had 30 members. The members spread in Tebet, Menteng, Duren Tiga and Jatiwaringin areas in Jakarta. In addition to frequent gathering at the secretariate, the community often gathers at the Taman Menteng every Wednesday night.

They gather there, as well as doing the night riding around the jakarta city. On Fridays, they hangs out in one of the cafés there. Meanwhile, on Sundays, they ride their Fixie bicycles on the car free day period. Also, when doing their activities, they always wear their white Texie costumes.

The costume can be obtained by paying IDR 60 thousand. While for the subordinate clothings, the members are free to wear anything suitable. Other activities of the Texie community are bike tourings and conducting social activities in the form of raising funds to help victims of the Merapi eruption.

Riding Fixies at night/ doc.Regarding the touring, this community has done so for ten days in Bali. There were about 12 members who participated in the touring to the Bali Island. From Jakarta, they boarded by plane, and after arriving in Bali, they rode their bikes. The total distance that they had traveled for 10 days in Bali was 150 km.

For Nando, riding his Fixie bike is very beneficial for the body. Moreover, if it's regularly done, it will make the body shaped. "Cycling can create a lifestyle," he said.

So, for those who are interested in joining this community, can directly contact them. This community does not implement such difficult conditions in accepting members, for if you have a Fixie bike, you can be able to join the community. They also don't concern the region of members, as long as the members don't mind gather frequently at Tebet or places that have been determined to do so. (Subhan)