Okay, I never miss an opportunity to flaunt my ignorance, so I'll flaunt away. Recently I first encountered the term "drew/drewing" and while it is easy to figure out the definition from context I am curious about where the term came from. Is it is a shorter version or variant of a longer word? Named after a notorious hipster/bicycle slasher? What's the deal?

Hey don't feel bad.. I had to ask too.

Sounds like you already know it's something to do with pulling out the Dremmel rotary tool and sawing.... As far as I know, it's just slang for that.... The name is taking on a life of its own lately and is being applied to (generally a young person) who doesn't conform to somebody elses' standards of what a bike is supposed to look like or how the machine should be used......

Said it before and I'll say it again, As long as people are showing interest and are riding a bicycle, who cares..... I will agree that there's good work and bad work, appropriate and inappropriate, but I don't own somebody else's bike... Youth is wasted on the young and it makes ours look better .....

I reserve the right to recant this statement for people who don't actually ride a bicycle and only DREW to make a quick buck...

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/485369-tommasini-i-hate-drew-more-than-words-can-tell.html

^
The origin of the term.

A chrome Schwinn Paramount subjected to a Drew:

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:X:RTQ:US:1123

Never mind the repair that is now bare steel - how about the two butchered holes in the downtube filled with a tapped and threaded rivet? Idiot.

-Kurt

I just looked for the thread. You beat me to it Kurt.

Mutt

I'm relieved to learn that it can only be applied to young people.

Hey, I hacked the cable stops off of my Velo Cheapo build, so I'm guilty as charged. BFD.

Neal

Mostly it's a really excellent way to make sure that new people have no interest in coming back to C&V.

It may make someone think twice before hacking up a nice rare frame.

Drew status comes with a free tote bag.

And fabulous parting gifts!

I should add that I managed to draw the hacksaw over my right thumb knuckle when I was modifying my Velo Cheapo build. It was a gusher. Be careful out there, kids!

Neal

I seriously doubt internet name-calling really sways anyone away from doing whatever they like with their bike. Friendly advice and education might, but probably not insult, just a guess. One might try looking back through recent threads where it has come up to see how often the "offenders" have returned, many don't. Does that mean they were shamed away from carving up bikes? Nope, it means they found a place that had less of an elitist attitude. Fostering a real interest in classic bikes will do much more to save rare frames from senseless modification than alienation ever will, but it's hard to do that once someone has been chased away.

Incidentally the sheer hubris required to think that giving a stranger a stamp of disapproval is exactly the sort of attitude that turns new people off.

I think of the term as an easy reference term to describe hacked frames, rather then the method to talk such folks down from their "whack it off" state.

No reason to call anyone a "Drew" to their face, unless you have just cause to insult them.

-Kurt

Yep, let's be careful of our paws. I injured my finger last week with an OEM equipment modification not recommended in your owner's manual. Suppose that would make me a Drew too!

I would agree with purevl; better to graciously suggest choices.

Translation: people wanting to show their individuality by doing what all the cool people are doing.

AKA: Lemmings

Every time Drew hacks a bike, God kills these kittens. Please think of the kittens.

Translation: If a bike isn't stock like some of the collectors' machines I see it must not be good, because that's the opinion of collectors whom I know.... And I want things the way I want them

Translation II: I don't like the direction it's heading in because that's not how I would do something....And I want to find bikes in a certain condition, without too much effort.....

Translation III: I was a perfect, flawless mechanic when I got into the bicycle hobby and never learned from mistakes, because I am perfect and don't make mistakes.......I don't want bad with the good.....

Last time I checked this isn't China, we aren't Commie dictators, and nobody on C&V is perfect....The Drew thing often seems derogatory when I hear it used, to me anyways.

Don't get me wrong guys, I have an extensive collection too, and some of them should never be altered IMO... But get off your high pristine horses for a moment and help some newbies by sharing your knowledge, rather than making jokes at their expense. Talking the talk like an elitist snob is the easy part... What proactive steps are you taking in your nieghborhood bike co-op and college campus to correct the percieved problem?
It seems to me that at least some of the botched jobs were actually attempts to do something creative....People make mistakes sometimes..... Do you want people riding bikes or driving petroleum burning machines?

It's twisted, ironic and funny that I'm defending this issue as I am one of the most anal purists on this forum, but I want people out of SUV's more than I need absolute stock perfection....I agree that some bikes intended to be Ferarri's ended up as Pinto-Chevette mutants, but I am looking for a bigger picture here; A picture of human-powered transportation that is commonplace. I believe that a lot of these "Drew" mistakes come from a misperception about what will make a bike go faster, weigh less or at least look faster; This is based on my conversations with people who don't have a lot of wrench time with bikes. Resolve that issue, and we are off to a great start...
Live and let live for a while OK?

I don't see it as a name someone is called, but more of an act perpetrated on
a bike while either repairing it or converting to fixed gear (and said act is botched and not easily reversed).
For example: 1) I really drewed my bike when I tried to remove a frozen downtube shifter and
it tore the braze on out of the frame. 2) I converted my 1978 Colnago to fixed gear and since I don't need all
those braze on things I dremeled them out and filled the resulting holes with bondo.

marty

It makes a good verb.

The downtube has been drewed.

Thanks for the responses! I am now educated and will have to find another area of ignorance to flaunt.

I stand corrected.

how many times have those poor things died already?

Yeah man, please at least get a different cat photo...something, anything.

Boy, cat pictures. A whole new can of worms.......