Completed my first century in 13 years yesterday and lost 15 kilo's in preparing.
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Completed my first century in 13 years yesterday and lost 15 kilo's in preparing.
A few months ago Mrs. Fred and I said enough is enough to the midlife scale movements and started counting calories. I also committed to a century to be ridden with several friends. The last three months have seen 15 kilos come off. Clothes that have been in the closet for a long while are being worn again. And, to top it off,.... I finished yesterdays rather hilly, and definately windy Taupo Cycle Challenge in 7:35. Not fast, but, I didn't suffer either. Woohoo!
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Birth Certificate, Passport, Marriage License Driver's License and Residency Permit all say I'm a Fred. I guess there's no denying it.
Birth Certificate, Passport, Marriage License Driver's License and Residency Permit all say I'm a Fred. I guess there's no denying it.
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No. This is only true for those people who purposely do things outside the norm because it gives them a false sense of satisfaction to be "different".
But don't kid yourself, Commuters and cyclo tourists still use the term "fred" as a putdown, they just use a different criteria for the definition because they tend to favor function over form and some of the things they do could be considered "fredly" by the normal definition.
Another poster was calling people "freds" in a different thread a few weeks back. He's a commuter, I doubt he was giving people "praise" .
But don't kid yourself, Commuters and cyclo tourists still use the term "fred" as a putdown, they just use a different criteria for the definition because they tend to favor function over form and some of the things they do could be considered "fredly" by the normal definition.
Another poster was calling people "freds" in a different thread a few weeks back. He's a commuter, I doubt he was giving people "praise" .
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Great job on the ride!
I hope Mrs. Fred is riding as well - my wife's riding is one of my favorite things about resuming cycling. We both get to become fit enjoying the same workout together.
And ignore the Fred put-down stuff. Simply uncooth elitism.
Proudly a Fred!
I hope Mrs. Fred is riding as well - my wife's riding is one of my favorite things about resuming cycling. We both get to become fit enjoying the same workout together.
And ignore the Fred put-down stuff. Simply uncooth elitism.
Proudly a Fred!
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No. This is only true for those people who purposely do things outside the norm because it gives them a false sense of satisfaction to be "different".
But don't kid yourself, Commuters and cyclo tourists still use the term "fred" as a putdown, they just use a different criteria for the definition because they tend to favor function over form and some of the things they do could be considered "fredly" by the normal definition.
Another poster was calling people "freds" in a different thread a few weeks back. He's a commuter, I doubt he was giving people "praise" .
But don't kid yourself, Commuters and cyclo tourists still use the term "fred" as a putdown, they just use a different criteria for the definition because they tend to favor function over form and some of the things they do could be considered "fredly" by the normal definition.
Another poster was calling people "freds" in a different thread a few weeks back. He's a commuter, I doubt he was giving people "praise" .
If you accept that there's more to riding than fast as possible from point A to point B, then you may not accept "Fred" as an insult. And when you consider that it's possible the term derived from a real cycle tourist, Fred Birchmore:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/histor...the-World.html
Also, you can find people on Bike Forums using the term as a compliment, or adopting it much as Americans adopted the insult "Yankee Doodle" as their own.
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Sorry, there's a logic fail here. First of all, what is the "norm" for cycling? Roadie? If so, then "Fred" is usually an insult. Its often misapplied by roadies to people better described as "poseur", AKA folks with expensive road bikes who have to walk up small rises. Or other roadies who don't meet "the standard" - said standard being a mirror image of themselves.
If you accept that there's more to riding than fast as possible from point A to point B, then you may not accept "Fred" as an insult. And when you consider that it's possible the term derived from a real cycle tourist, Fred Birchmore:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/histor...the-World.html
Also, you can find people on Bike Forums using the term as a compliment, or adopting it much as Americans adopted the insult "Yankee Doodle" as their own.
If you accept that there's more to riding than fast as possible from point A to point B, then you may not accept "Fred" as an insult. And when you consider that it's possible the term derived from a real cycle tourist, Fred Birchmore:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/histor...the-World.html
Also, you can find people on Bike Forums using the term as a compliment, or adopting it much as Americans adopted the insult "Yankee Doodle" as their own.
For the record I was just answering Isaacs question. I didn't call anyone a fred, nor do I believe in calling anyone a fred. I've said this many times on this forum (and in person, to Neil no less) that "it's your ride, ride it how you want". My only crime in all of this is daring to question Neil on the fact that calling someone a fred is "praise".
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In the end, here's what it comes down to:
"Anyone who rides a bike is a friend of mine"
- Gary Fisher
- Gary Fisher
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Life's too short to spend your time caring what someone called you. In my experience, people who call others names are doing so because they have some deficiency themselves and are trying to make themselves feel better by putting someone else down. Eh. I don't care. People can call me Fred as much as they want. Heck, I'll do it for them. I won't be spending any time caring about it though- I'll be busy enjoying my bicycle.
In the end, here's what it comes down to:
In the end, here's what it comes down to:
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https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...1#post12276838
"I'll be a Fred any day. I have the red panniers on a green bike and wear a red helmet. I've got the take a look mirror on my glasses and I ride with either tennis shoes in the summer and Gortex hikers in the wetter times of the year. I wear cargo pants that the legs zip off in the summer and when its cold I've got some REI Headwinds and my jacket doesn't match either. My bike has a kickstand too so thats really Freddy. Am I a Fred? I hope so."
"I've never been called that AFAIK, but I agree with the previous posters who've said they'd either be proud or would not care. "
"I know that "Fred" has two meanings. A cyclist who pays no attention to the dress code and can blow you away, and a poseur. From study, I'm pretty sure that the first definition is the original as the background story is more solid. I've read of at least two cyclists actually named Fred who could be the prototype for the concept. Fred Birchmore and Freddie Hoffman. I think that Roadies just invented the second meaning trying to eliminate the original concept."
"If someone calls me a Fred I will always take that as a compliment... thinking of the inestimable Fred Birchmore who was / is so much more than a world class cyclist but a world class athlete and human being."
"I have never been called a Fred except by people that I respected and I knew it was a compliment."
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And that's all well and good, however I have to agree with paisan on this one. Regardless of which of the definitions of the term you personally subscribe to, calling someone a "Fred" is not "praise". It never has been. You may not find it offensive, and clearly many folks affectionately refer to themselves as Freds; just as I am not ashamed to carry the lable of "bulky" when describing my riding style. But that doesn't change what the word means. If someone calls me chunky, fat, chubby, bulky, etcetera, they're right. Just because it doesn't bother me doesn't mean that it's "praise." A derisive term is what it is.
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"Obstacles don't like me very much. I make them look bad."
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Because you didn’t hear it or refuse to acknowledge it, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
so you pull out one thread of people saying it doesn’t bother them. They even acknowledge it's a putdown but say they don't care. Just because they don't care doesn't negate the fact that it is a put down. Walk into any shop and ask them the meaning. Chances are they are going to say it’s a put down.
The term “Fred” is much like the term “Barney” in skiing, or the term "squid" in the Navy. It's not a compliment. The fact that two athletes from a century ago were named Fred cannot be proven to be the origin of the derogatory term that is used today. Everything regarding that is just speculation. Even if they were the origin of the term, it doesn’t mean some guy is giving you a compliment in 2011 when he calls you the name of a cyclist from the early 1900's.
LOL, Pwnd? Really? How old are you exactly oh self proclaimed hero of the C/A forum?
There you go buddy, the true colors come out. Good job Neil. Show the rest of the forum how you really are. You know the real person that can’t stand being disagreed with… How dare Sayre to not submit to your greatness. .
Again, You can try to color this any way you want. Isaac asked a question, I answered it. If you don’t like the answer.. oh well. But it was a valid answer.
Again, Walk into any shop and ask them the meaning. Chances are they are going to say it’s a put down.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_(bicycling)
"I know that "Fred" has two meanings. A cyclist who pays no attention to the dress code and can blow you away, and a poseur. From study, I'm pretty sure that the first definition is the original as the background story is more solid. I've read of at least two cyclists actually named Fred who could be the prototype for the concept. Fred Birchmore and Freddie Hoffman. I think that Roadies just invented the second meaning trying to eliminate the original concept."
There you go buddy, the true colors come out. Good job Neil. Show the rest of the forum how you really are. You know the real person that can’t stand being disagreed with… How dare Sayre to not submit to your greatness. .
Again, You can try to color this any way you want. Isaac asked a question, I answered it. If you don’t like the answer.. oh well. But it was a valid answer.
Again, Walk into any shop and ask them the meaning. Chances are they are going to say it’s a put down.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_(bicycling)
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