We talk shop with Ines Brunn, Beijing’s own fixed gear bike revolutionary. She’s also one of the forces behind Natooke Fixed Gear Bikes, the hutong headquarters of the fixed gear set. Want to join the revolution? Catch their regular newsletter by signing up over at www.natooke.com.
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German athlete gives up high-paying job to ride on passion for fixed-wheel bikes. Zhang Lei rolls alongside.

When former German national gymnast Ines Brunn considered leaving her job to run a bicycle shop, a friend could not believe it. “Who wants to see an old woman do tricks on a bicycle?” her friend asked. But not only did Brunn leave her high-paying job in a major telecommunications company to do just that, she also chose to locate her bike shop in Beijing.
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That’s Beijing magazing interviews Natooke shop manager Dupree Zong about his love for both making and riding fixed gear bikes.
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The Chinese online magazine kiDulty published an entry about me and Natooke and my fixed gear bike.

By Joshua Samuel Brown

Hailing from Bavaria by way of Beijing, Ines Brunn has performed track bike gymnastics at bike shows and events around the globe. Our Corospondent in Asia caught up with Brunn following one of her performances at this year’s Taipei International Cycle Show.

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Brunn runs her fixed-gear bike shop “Natooke” in Wudaoying hutong, adjacent to the Lama Temple, a major tourist attraction in the Chinese capital.   She opened the shop in March 2009 after finding it hard to obtain parts for specialty fixed-gear bikes – which have wheels that are always in motion when the bikes are moving, as opposed to ordinary bikes that can coast – in the country.   Brunn had started a fixed-gear bike club with a friend two years before she opened her shop. In 2008, five other people took part in its activities as fixed gear cycling was still considered a niche sport in China,   “I thought it was really funny when a friend suggested that I start a shop,” Brunn says. “But then I thought I might have more people riding because of the shop, and I could see the bike community grow.   “I could also be my own boss and schedule my own time.”
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Published in February 2012, this Breakless Attitude expose interviews young cyclist, Tiger, on his Natooke fixed gear bike.
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Check out this awesome video of Natooke staff and friends taking their fixed gear bikes out for a spin in the Yonghegong Hutong.

First of all, who thought to play polo on two-wheeled cycles? The answer is Richard J. Mercredy of Ireland’s County Wicklow way back in 1891. Fast-forward 120 years and you can see some urban mallet-swinging in the heart of Beijing, thanks to the fixed-bike fanatics of Natooke. They recently gave us the 411 on this two-wheeled version of four-on-four.
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Natooke founder Ines Brunn speaks at the Niurenku 2 years Anniversary bash.