In the traffic-clogged Indonesian capital of Jakarta, riding a bicycle can often be the fastest way to get around. But what began as a functional mode of transportation has transformed into an acrobatic youth scene known as "fixie" bikes.

Pulling giant wheelies, jumps and stoppies as the traffic trundles past.

This is transport with a difference - the Indonesian "fixie" bike scene.

Of course, riding a bike can often get you around Jakarta a lot faster than a car or bus on the capital's congested roads. But these fixed-gear bikes - known locally as "fixies" - aren't just about getting from A to B. They're also great for tricks, skids, wheelies and extreme sports.

The Indonesian love for "fixies" has seen youths gang together into small communities to talk about their bikes, perform tricks and customize their wheels.

To outsiders, a fixie might look just like an ordinary bicycle, but to the initiated they come in a wide variety of custom-made colors and styles.

Setyo Dwi Harso, fixed-gear biker, said, "If you ride a regular bike, the bike will keep moving when you stop pedaling. But if you ride a fixed-gear bike then the bike's wheels will lock when you stop pedaling. It's this behavior that makes a bike, fixed-gear."

Riders of fixie bikes are a common sight in the city's parks - often wowing assembled crowds with their variety of daring and increasingly creative tricks.

For the avid fans, riding fixed-gear bikes is a way of life.

Rizki Saptoro Elfiari, fixed-gear biker, said, "I've really got into 'fixie' bikes and know a lot about them. They are not just bicycles but they represent an urban culture, a mode of transportation, a type of extreme sport and much more."

In the same way the American BMX craze inspired a generation of children around the world in the early 80s, these fixie bikes are having a similar impact on the streets of Jakarta.

And if the fixie scene grows anymore, it might even get a few of the cars off the road and ease the rush-hour gridlock.

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