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Stefan Vis from F.A.S.T. Amsterdam Team

In the Encyclopedia of fixed gear there is a name you can’t miss it’s Stefan Vis, pistard, bike messenger, rider, good mechanic and many other facets. Stefan is a guy who knows that life can be hard and you have to know how to fight. For a while he stoped racing, but after 2011, he hasn’t stopped giving it all he’s got. Don’t miss this and more in the interview with FISH!

1. Who’s Stefan Vis?

I am Stefan Vis AKA Fish. My life has been bike hard since I was twelve. Sometimes I quit, but always came back. And after 10 years hanging in bars it was time to become serious.

2. Are you a bike messenger? What can you tell us about your job, about the life of a bike messenger in Amsterdam?

I’m actually not really a bike messenger. I have been one since 1998 till 2004 and now I do it now and then in Amsterdam. But its not satisfying here and after many many discussions I decided to let it go. So im just a substitute for another messenger sometimes. I’m still having some ties in messenger world, but I’m focussing on racing and adventure riding or whatever. I have also been a single speed and fixed gear speciality mechanic, I also repaired/created/chopped normal bikes, racing and mountain bikes, beach cruisers, choppers and lowriders and some cargo-bikes. I have also been building many wheels.

3. Can you tell a small resume of your victory at Red Bull Race the Place?

I went to Toronto on request of race the place organizer Nadir Olivet, because he knew I am training and riding together with geared riders. The race was also inspired by bike messenger races and a race we did in Amsterdam in 2000. Introducing some fixed gear racing to our city. So when Trimble Racing decided to sponsor my way to Red Hook Crit this year, Angry Johnny Racing and Red Bull Canada decided to bring me back to Toronto for this. It’s a race for any bike. So fixed gear together. I did win because I was tactical from the start. I could solo, control the pack after my crash and sprint out the final, while being almost fully in control of my bike in the technical part. So no disadvantage anywhere except on the uphill, but that’s a matter of training, which I couldn’t too much since I got beaten up in New York the end of April, I raced with a bruised rib, but it’s almost over.

4. RHC Brooklyn No.7, just a couple of lines of an epic race that we named the perfect storm!

Red Hook Crit Brooklyn was the touch this year, the rain all day, it was freezing too. Too bad the race was shortened, but I did not feel right. I was very disappointed in my racing there. Not that I’m bad loser, loosing is not a bad thing if you know the others where stronger than you when you feel in shape. But something stupid happened a week and a half before the race causing me to be thrown out of shape instantly. So the race didn’t go that well, I couldn’t breach top speeds without getting tired. I trained specifically for Red Hook Crit and was in super shape when left Amsterdam. I ended up 11th on a skill move, but not good enough. I felt I let dave down on that one, because I could have be more cautious, instead I was ignorant and got poisoned. I sat in second chance saloon on my own for a while drinking some beers on my own recapping what went wrong.

5. When did you start race crits? And tell us about your great victory in our city in RHC Barcelona. How was the feeling? Did you like barcelona?

I started racing in 2011. After a comeback from being a busdriver. The first race was horror but I knew I was gonna be good at it since I was a trackracer, a roadracer and a bike messenger before. Barcelona was very nice because Dave Trimble was abled to completely produce a new race course. I’m looking forward to the new course. Barcelona was fun, but I like to stay a bit longer next time.

6. The legends of the fixed gear says that once you won to Chris Hoy?

Yes it’s true, when I was 17 Chris Hoy attended in a sprint GP in Alkmaar, on my old clubs velodrome, concrete back then. My trainers were Marco Van Bon and Jan Jansen. Chris Hoy, being a bit older than me, sat in my wheel all the time, I took him to the boarding, taking him to the finish without a proper sprint because he let himself be blocked. Its something I learned from my trainers. He was faster for sure, but not very clever in the beginning. This was in 1996 I think. I sprinted on the track in match, scratch and kiering with the 90’s biggest sprinters, like Nübner, Van Eijden, Magne, upcoming talents like Wolff and many many others, and I advised Theo Bos in September 2001 to read up books on tactics. Sometimes I wished someone would have picked me up and kicked my ass, but I decided to become a part of the messenger community. And that was great. I’m thankful for all the wonderful years and support from them now!

7. How many bikes do you have? Which is your favorite?

Ha, ha. Good question. Basically I could do anything on one bike. But I need to swap parts and wheels all the time and thats not so good for the parts… So… I got 2 brooklyn machine works gangsta track frames. One original owned by Austin Horse, and a version two I got as a thanks from Brooklyn Machine Works. The OG BMW I keep as a wherever bike, it can take racks and bags, got two different gears for climbing, offroading and transit. Its fitted with Cinelli parts, Vittoria Voyager Hyper tyres and an kMC X1 chain. Lights are Knog! Blinders road, they keep me going a long winters night if necasary.

The other one I keep as a fast training bike but can also be build as a off road fixed gear or single speed. Its got carbon cross forks and all nice Cinelli parts and Vittoria Rubino Pro Tech Tyres, or Vittoria XN/XM Pro Crosstires on homemade wheels. Simply change the wheels, the SRAM cranks and the KMC X1/X101 chain. My team Critbike is a Koga Full Pro track. Its a standard trackframe we (Wit Industries and F.A.S.T. Amsterdam) tried to resurrect. But Koga is not interested in further supporting us so we are open for new adventures with a cool bikebrand who does understand the future. The bike is also build up with Cinelli components. All matching NEOS. I run home made wheels for crits and Mavic wheels for the track. Vittoria Diamante Pro Track tyres on the track and Vittoria Corsa CX/Pave or Rubino tyres for crits. All bikes have golden KMC X101 or X1 chains. I also got a vintage Giant Cadex bike for official races where they don’t like weird bikes with fixed wheels. And my late dad left his mountainbike to me, and I’m using it sometimes in the dunes. Red Hook Crit Brooklyn 2014 I will ride a New York build Coarse Fabrications frame. My favourite is the brooklyn machine works original gangsta track frame. Its heavy metal and won’t just die.

8. Just track bikes or do you practice other kind if cyclism?

I practice all kinds of cyclism on fixed gear. Sometimes I take out the MTB for a different training experience, and I fear I need to ride a Road bike now and then. But actually its 98% fixed gear. And we train with some big ring kings in their second cycling life, if you know what I mean.

9. Worst situation on a bike?

I can write a book about that. But I think it was a road rage in Toronto somewhere in the last century.

10. F.A.S.T. TEAM. What can you tell us about your team and about their frames? What are your expectations for 2014?

My team is a bunch guys who love riding fixed gear just like me. We started talking about it in a bikeshop I used to work. When I was sidetracked by the shop after which I eventually left, and I was becoming hopefull in critracing since New York 2013, I called them up. We immediatly got interest from Olaf Wit and he supported us for the races in Barcelona and Milan. He arranged the frames and painted them in his own scheme. Nice bikes to ride, and also very pretty. Olaf is also responsible for the fading black on the speedsuits. My team supports me in everything now, and for this year we are aiming on a wider range of biking, like we love. My goals are Red Hook Crit and whatever fun is happening in the meanwhile.

The team also focusses on Red Hooks. But also looking for different rides. Yvo is a 24/7 fixed rider, very strong, very diesel. Loves the crits but is more of a distance guy. Fred is a social biker, hes responsible for a lot of the cool contacts we have. He’s fast too but likes it better in a group. Piet is the youngest and on paper the fastest. He’s very eager. One of the reasons why whe called him up. Olaf is a sponsor and our advanced designer. We take care of everything ourselves. Designing, sponsormatters, clothing. The team gets supported and sponsored by Tineli cyclewear holland; Giro sportsdesign USA; KMC chain europe; Wit industries; Fendor bendor; Knog! Australia; Verwimp holland; Holleboom transport. I get supported and sponsored by: Vittoria Tyres; Cinelli components; Brooklyn Machine Works; My mom and dad. And for the New York race this year by Trimble racing and Angry Johnny.

11. Small phrase of your passion for cycling.

I haven’t used a motto for a long time. So I use one from the past: Life is an Alleycat.

12. Thanks to…

Dad, Mom, Johan, Carelain, and everyone else who keeps me going.

More info on: www.fastamsterdam.nl