Originally posted by Dutchy
I was getting ready for a ride with my brother, and he was wearing a new US Postal outfit, and he commented that no-one would expect to get passed by someone like me because I looked like Mr. Plod (slow), because my outfit is a standard non team kit from any LBS. Just because you have the clothes it doesn't mean your any good. I don't need a US Postal outfit to ride fast, although they do look very nice. 
Mark
This anecdote reminds me of another, which isn't really about freds. Last summer, my cycling buddy and I were stopped at a rest stop on a local bike path. Just as I was about to head into the head, a trio of roadies went by, one of them sporting an Italian champ jersey. They certainly weren't freds. When I came out and we got back on the path and headed opff, and I caught sight of the trio up ahead! I was surprised because I assumed they'd be long gone, and I realized that they were going the same speed as I (about 30K as I recall), because I had them in my sights the whole way. Eventually they turned off in another direction, but I was rather surprised they weren't going faster, especially the Italian Champ guy. You sort of expect someone wearing the italian champ jersey to be going a lot faster. It may have been the end of their ride, of course, because it was kind of late in the day. That's why I wouldn't wear any national champ jersey- you sort of have to live up to it. National team jerseys are different- I'd wear the Polish team jersey or russian team jersey out of ethnic pride. No one is going to think I'm on the polish or russian team.