Commuting - Beware fred's: The roadies are out

So today I begin my commute with the "chance" of a thunderstorm...let's just say the lightning was really cool:lol: The next misfortune is a flat about halfway through,at least the rain stopped. I had a great 8 mile balls to the wall "sprint " to get to work on time. I have a tire liner for the front just didn't put it in. Then after a great day at work I went to the local brewerey for a couple of ipa's before stopping at the market fort a couple of steaks.Then there they are:eek:roadies:p Being a fred I wanted to smoke the first one but he turned:(the second pulled his cell out of his jersey and pulled over for a chat and the others were on the other side of the road...so beware brother fred's:thumb: No hate here just having a little fun after an interesting but nice day commuting...in fact all days are nice in one way or the other. Enjoy the weekend.

ummmm ... okaaaaayyyy ..... didn't quite get your point, but then I haven't had any ipas or steal today.

Every Fred, Doris, Lance, Roadie and "Bike Bear" will be out in full force this weekend for sure. It's going to be a summer preview in NYC with temps hitting the mid and upper 80's! Watch out! ;)

Forgive my ignorance but what is a "bike bear"? I tried to find it on google but that was useless.
:eek: Is it these (http://www.fixedgearbiking.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/polar-bear-bike.jpg)?!

bike bears don't ride through the winter

...I went to the local brewerey for a couple of ipa's before stopping at the market fort a couple of steaks....

IPA = isopropyl alcohol?:wtf:

I sorta knew things were bad but food forts?:wtf: Can Mad Max and Tina Turner in lacey shoulder pads be far behind:eek::eek:

Forgive my ignorance but what is a "bike bear"? I tried to find it on google but that was useless.
:eek: Is it these (http://www.fixedgearbiking.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/polar-bear-bike.jpg)?!

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=533708

IPA = isopropyl alcohol?:wtf:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_Pale_Ale

IPA= India Pale Ale and I don't even know what a market fort is:twitchy:

Indian Pale Ale - AKA IPA - proper beer, ale etc.

Whoops Apricissimus got it covered.

What Brewery iforgotmename?

The warmth certainly has brought the roadies out in force. Saw a matching pair this morning in very stylish red/black matching kits. How cute.

Last year I got dropped by a few of them on rides home. This year I am bound and determined to lose some weight, get my fitness level up and bag me a roadie or two.

I saw a few weak looking ones that I think I could have rolled, but, they were always going the wrong way.

Is it bad form to blow a U turn and drop them while muttering "fred on your left" or maybe just an evil sounding muh-hah-hah-hahhhhh?

Happy hunting, fellow freds.

I'm a fred AND a roadie so take that. Today I went out for a few hours on my road bike and then met my wife at the butchers (can't carry 20lbs of meat on a road bike!) and we rode home together. She still hauled ass with a full pannier and hybrid bike all the way home though! It must have been a rather amusing peloton with me all decked out in the riding gear on my road bike and her on her loaded touring bike.

Thursday, a week ago, I was passed on the MUP (opposite direction) by about 80 roadies in 4 groups and another couple dozen in small clusters.
Last year when I latched onto the back of one group they averaged 25mph. That's only 8-10mph faster than me.

Last year when I latched onto the back of one group they averaged 25mph. That's only 8-10mph faster than me.

Another way to put it would be that they were 40% faster.

Today was a Fred day for me. Took the Schwinn Mirada down to the beach & picked up chorizo tacos on the way home. Got me a milk crate nicely zip-tied to a Target-sourced rack. Ride wear for the day- shorts, hiking boots & a polo shirt. 'Bout a 20 mile round trip.

I have a decent road bike for the days when I want to rack up miles quickly. I love having a bike that can be just ridden any which way I please no matter what I choose to wear. Pushing a well-tuned heavyweight bike gets one in shape just a little quicker it seems.

I dropped an older roadie who was dressed in full kit. I think he thought I sat in my recliner all winter, like he musta. Plus I'm guessing he thought since I'm a girl I would naturally eat his dust. No way! It felt great to zoom past him.

I dropped an older roadie who was dressed in full kit. I think he thought I sat in my recliner all winter, like he musta. Plus I'm guessing he thought since I'm a girl I would naturally eat his dust. No way! It felt great to zoom past him.

Can anyone think of a motive as to why this 'older roadie' may have LET baldsue aka 'since I'm a girl' drop him? I guess it would depend on how long it took her. .5 mi? 1.0mi? 2.0mi?...10.0 mi? :eek: Afterall, it IS spring...right? Not to say she didn't earn it, but guys will be guys...even 'older roadie' guys. ;)

I don't think Freds have anything to fear from roadies. Roadies are cyclists, too. Usually fit, fast cyclists, on really light bikes, who aren't actually carrying anything. Why try to drop them? Unless you're dealing with a person who bought way more bike than they actually need, you're not going to drop anyone. Instead of trying to secretly and pettily race them, we should feel sorry for roadies, because they can't transport any beer at all on those little plastic bikes of theirs with those super-short chainstays, and, when it rains, their fender-less, rack-less bikes just make a total mess of things. You might as well drive around in a station wagon and try to race a Ferrari, never understanding that the Ferrari and the station wagon were designed for utterly different purposes.

Personally, I'm proud to be a Fred, and just go about my business on the bike without worrying too much about what others are up to. (Actually, I spend most of my energy trying not to get killed by cars.) On those rare occasions when I do drop a roadie, I admit I'm a little pleased, but I don't change my regular pace to do it, and when it happens, I'm under no illusion that I've actually dropped a real roadie.

what an interesting thread. I have now understood what a 'fred' is. that was a new one. I am a roadie, but i commute daily on my 'little plastic bike' with a backpack in which i can put an amazing amount of shopping if needs be. I quite agree with bragi though, bikes are built for different purposes.

Can't we all just ride along?

I love all the brand new bikes out there, too...most are born in Spring, you know...

I get passed all the time by roadies when I'm on my 40lbs comfort bike. I know that I'm no match for them in the speed department. But if they ever want to challenge me to a bicycle joust or demolition derby, I say bring it on! That challenge is open to all roadies, except for those with bullhorn handlebars. :D

I just got back from the MUP.

there is nothing like 80F and sunny to bring out all the huge fat guys in tight USPS team lycra kit with their guts hanging out while they ride an 17 pound Trek Madone.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that they are out riding. It's a good alternative to sitting on the couch watching TV and eating nachos.
But still... As I come up on them from behind, the view makes me go :twitchy:.

This is why I generally stick to the road. better views!

I just got back from the MUP.

there is nothing like 80F and sunny to bring out all the huge fat guys in tight USPS team lycra kit with their guts hanging out while they ride an 17 pound Trek Madone.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that they are out riding. It's a good alternative to sitting on the couch watching TV and eating nachos.
But still... As I come up on them from behind, the view makes me go :twitchy:.

This is why I generally stick to the road. better views!

Instead of spending an extra $1000 for a bike that's a couple of pounds lighter, it's probably better to lose those same couple of pound from the belly instead :thumb:

Instead of spending an extra $1000 for a bike that's a couple of pounds lighter, it's probably better to lose those same couple of pound from the belly instead :thumb:
that's what they are trying to do. Unless they are headed for the ice cream store.

Instead of spending an extra $1000 for a bike that's a couple of pounds lighter, it's probably better to lose those same couple of pound from the belly instead :thumb:

Maybe, but if you've got an extra grand, and you like the bike, and you ride it more because you like it then its worth the money.

IPA= India Pale Ale and I don't even know what a market fort is:twitchy:

Ah, the trouble with using acronyms :rolleyes:

IPA:

International Phonetic Alphabet
Isopropyl Alcohol
International Photo Awards
Intergovernmental Personnel Act
International Psychogeriatric Association
Institute for Public Accuracy
International Peace Academy
International Pediatric Association
International Police Association

India pale ale doesn't even show up on the first two pages of a google search except as part of the 'Searches related to IPA' section.

And you are the one who brought up a market fort (see my quote above). I just took it to the logical conclusion:D

http://lennyflatley.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/tina.jpg

I ain't gonna try to take her steak away:eek:

Fred, Roadie, Bob, whatever. If I could afford a snazy second bike that weighed less than my rack I would probably have one. As it is, my commuter does it all for me, in whatever dress I decide is appropriate. As long as we are all riding, what's the big deal?

Quite a few of us are always out there riding. It's just that the bike changes and we shed layers of clothes. Trainers are well renowned as torture devices in roadie circles.

Fred, Roadie, Bob, whatever.... As long as we are all riding, what's the big deal?

Because it's juvenile amusement? A roadie may look upon a Fred with condescension, but still accepts the Fred's right to be on the road. (I suspect it's largely a class thing.) Freds may express a ( mostly futile) desire to "bag" a few roadies, but we still secretly enjoy their re-appearance every spring; it's much like viewing a rather silly salmon run. The more people there are on bikes, the better for all of us, and everyone knows it. It's just perverse fun to make petty distinctions just for the hell of it (and I hope that no one takes it too seriously).

^ Too true. The only distinction that I make is between those who obey the law and those who don't. A cyclists who rides on the wrong side of the road, runs stop signs, etc is bad for all of us.

Because it's juvenile amusement? A roadie may look upon a Fred with condescension, but still accepts the Fred's right to be on the road. (I suspect it's largely a class thing.) Freds may express a ( mostly futile) desire to "bag" a few roadies, but we still secretly enjoy their re-appearance every spring; it's much like viewing a rather silly salmon run. The more people there are on bikes, the better for all of us, and everyone knows it. It's just perverse fun to make petty distinctions just for the hell of it (and I hope that no one takes it too seriously).

Agreed. It's like when dogs chase squirrels. It's not because they hate squirrels, or actually want to kill them. The dogs just have fun making a game out of chasing them.

I like seeing more people riding bikes on the road =)

The more the better...today's ride brought out the guys in business attire on the bike, the college kids and us regular Fred commuters. It was just nice to see.

Actually saw the jogging dude for the first time this year. We go in opposite directions but he always has a "Good Morning", He's kind of like my bike ride ground hog, so the weather must be making that final turn.

I like seeing more people riding bikes on the road =)

Now that...is the right attitude.

One thing the warm weather sure seems to bring out is the inferiority-complex-inspired sniping on bikeforums. Ride your own ride and don't judge others, it just makes you look silly and insecure.

Unless you're racing or on a group ride or something, you're not "dropping" or "being dropped" or any of that nonsense.

this whole topic of discussion is stupid and worn out.

+1

Well... maybe not stupid but silly and childish at the very least.

this whole topic of discussion is stupid and worn out.


+1

Well... maybe not stupid but silly and childish at the very least.

Fair enough.

Gonna go on and put this one in the ground then.