derath

After reading all of the other stuff here I just thought this would be fun to post.

I am new to the road scene, not new to cycling. But getting back into it something fierce in the past year.

My new Road bike is a Giant OCR C3. It has a triple front chainring. I don't care if I get laughed at, I am not switching to a compact just for the looks. I can understand some of the technical reasons for a compact. It gets old shifting the Chainring as often as I have. But then again my little training loop near my house has 1113ft of climbing over 8 miles with an average grade of 10%. Probably nothing for Cypress but a good workout for my newbishness. I know, Fred, but I am happy to have that granny gear for the moment.

I LOVE my helmet mounted mirror. I know, FRED. But on a ride last thursday I didn't have my mirror (fell off, haven't put it back on yet). Going downhill at 28mph the wind is so loud I don't know how any of you hear a car coming up behind you. i make a practice of tilting my head to the side to get a quick glance back and listen. but it still didn't catch that F350 suddenly bearing down on me from out of nowhere. Maybe racing I wouldn't need it, but on roads with traffic I love my mirror. I am such a Fred.

I will NEVER, EVER shave my legs. I don't care if I even get into racing. Just not gonna happen. I am one hairy SOB. I hate shaving my face enough. No way I am going to go through the trouble of shaving anything else. If it is for looks, have fun. Don't even tell me it is for the road rash. I have had plenty of road rash and scrapes over the years in various sports. My leg/arm hair has never made it all that difficult to deal with. Sure it may make it slightly easier to deal with. But as a cost/benefit, that is an awful lot of shaving for the occasional scrape. Just not worth it for me.

So this isn't a knock against anyone else, just my personal preferences. Of course I guess I will have to live with the ridicule of Fred'dom.

See ya'll on the road

dekalbSTEEL

fmw

Don't feel bad. My name is Fred.

patentcad

Like I said in an earlier post, TRUE Fredosity is more about not understanding group riding protocol than helmet mirrors or furry legs. Which would not appear to be characteristic of this particular self-proclaimed Fred. And then there's the age old question of whether it's 'Fred' or 'fred'.

Freds of the world, I salute you.

By the way I sort of doubt I'll be shaving my legs again, even when I start racing. Anything that makes the REAL road nazis underestimate me in a ride or race (which furry legs can do) is a distinct advantage in my view. So I will embrace that particular tenant of Fredosity into my declining years : ).

Matt Gaunt

^^ or even FRED. Group riding protocol is of paramount importance. I have been forced off the road by ignorant chaps who think it's ok to overtake in the group and cut back in leaving no room for anyone else. So if Fred-, fred-, or FRED-dom stop this, I'm all for it.

derath

Yea I remember that thread. I will admit I don't understand group protocol, yet. At least not in practice. I have watched others and studied races etc. So I think I will pick it up quickly.

-D

bob the nailer

You are disqualified from being a "fred" if you know what being a fred is, I think. The real freds have no idea who or what they are.

HigherGround

Ride and be happy.

mikeoverly

Hey -- I'm a Fred too. (Except for refusing to be seen with anything below 39/23 on a road bike ... and I can walk the walk and pedal the cadence ... since it ain't that hilly around here ). I wear a white T-shirt and cheap lycra shorts in the summer ... and even way back in my 20s I wouldn't be caught dead in a "sponsor" jersey unless a sponsor put it on my back.

Aside: My daughter pulled a flashy sponsor jersey in her size off the rack at the bike store the other day. She thought it was cool. The price was not marked. I had to drag the admission of "85 bucks" out of the salesman. I explained the concept and price of "posing" to my jersey-less daughter on the way home.

Remember: Freds always have more $$ to spend on equipment they don't need since they don't spend it on clothing and leg waxing they don't need .

Dick Rhee

I consider myself pretty curteous to other riders and well as comply with traffic laws, so forgive me for not knowing this.

What the hell is a Fred?

VeloLisa

soccerismylife

Its a name given to new riders that are often seen sporting camelbacks on top of their cotton t-shirts, wearing underware under their shorts while riding on the wrong side of the road with toe-clips and tennis shoes. Their GMC Denalis usually still have the dork discs and reflectors installed with stems that are above their saddle. All of this with hairy legs. Nevertheless, I never have seen the need to make fun of a newbie even though I shave my legs and ride a bike that costs more than my dad's car.

Dick Rhee

I understood the idea, but I guess I was thinking Fred was an acronym for something.

Fritos Require Exquisite Dip? I don't know.

HigherGround

One of the Philly radio stations, 93.3 WMMR, actually has a parody song like that. I believe the comedian's name is Joe Conklin. His name is also his web site address, so you might be able to hear it there. I've never been to that site, so visit at your own risk. I disavow all responsibility if it has obscene content, invitations to sleepovers at the Neverland Ranch, or results in alien abductions.

crackerjab

Holy crap! I haven't laughed that hard since I was a little girl!

lxpatterson

so what is the etymology of fred? who came up with fred, is there an original fred?