General tips (on how not to be a Fred)?
 

I'm just wondering if anyone has any general advice, mostly related to the style of your bike and whatnot. A list of guidelines, basically. I've been lurking a bit and people seem to criticize others for things I don't really understand. General style tips on what not to do with: saddle angle, bar angle, drop, etc. would be nice, but any little hints would be appreciated.

I realize that most of the stuff is common sense, but I'm just asking for clarification. What makes you cringe when you look at a bike? Or what are some behaviours on group rides that are generally frowned upon?

Thanks for tolerating my lack of knowledge on what seems like second nature to most of you :)

If you don't want to look like a fred, you may want to emulate a Euro pro.

:lol:

Don't do this with your bars, and I think you are good. I'd say that how the bike feels and functions is far more important that what others think about it's appearance. Sure, often setting it up properly will tend to look the way they want, but not always.

When I was a kid I had a bike with the bars mounted like that. It DOES get you an upright riding position.

You are saying "fred" like it is a bad thing.

I'm a proud partial Fred still learning some basics not to be a full Fred. I have been told not to leave caps on the valve stems, guess that is an uber Fred thing. Some frowned upon items pointed out to me are my mountain bike shoes and pedals, I’m keeping them. I finally switched over to the tight bike shorts, the baggy ones were getting more stares than the tight ones. Another thing road bikers like is “flipping the stem,” didn’t work for me. If you have not yet gone clipless, do, this moves you up a couple non-Fred stages. Learn as much bicycle lingo as possible; saying the wrong things is a big Fred label.
This video has a lot of bike lingo, learn all the phrases.....

http://api.viglink.com/api/click?for...13275602450311

Fred... we should all aspire to this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_(bicycling)

He just celebrated his 100th birthday.

http://www.athensmove.com/life/life-...red-birchmore/

Would you prefer to be a "Poseur"? Fred's have the whole soul cycling thing figured out. Trust me.....

Hello everyone!

My name is Fred and I am the proud owner of this cool-looking bicycle.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=234987

I am here to show the entire cycling world, how to get its swag on!

Thank you,

Fred :)

More riding. Less worrying about appearances.

+1
Quit being a tool. No one cares. No one. In fact, I judge you harder just for being preoccupied with petty crap.

+1

Why would anyone want to stop looking like a Fred?

(Wikipedia)

Sounds to me like a 'Fred' is just an ordinary cyclist who posers like to mock for not being what they deem to be a real cyclist on a 'real' bike. Just roll with it and see who's laughing when they can't keep up with you.

+1. And to go one step further than bigfred, if you're worried about being a Fred, you're not one because Freds don't care. You might be a poseur though - they really care about looks.

Yeah. Fredliness can be good. It's antithetical to being a poseur, whose only concern is appearance. A Fred is all about function, practicality, and individuality.

I'm sorry, but I see absolutely nothing wrong with the orientation of those handlebars!

To me, they look sweeeeeet! :thumb:

- Fred :)

+1

If you're a little different than everyone else, so be it. I rode with the fast group for last Saturday's breakfast ride... on a 29-year-old steel bike and wearing jeans. Let the haters hate. (Actually, it drew comments of wonder more than anything else.)

If you have to ask, I don't think there's any hope. Nothing is more freddy than somebody trying not to be a fred. UBU.

Look in the roadie section (the 41). Theyknow all the answers to this and other questions.

Yesterday , I was riding south and my daughter passed me in her car , heading north. Later , I texted her and asked if I looked looked like a "Fred". She said at first, she didn't think it was me because I looked like a real cyclist ! I'm making progress !

I've met tooooooo many cyclists to know the way I dress and carry my stem are the least of my worries on the bike. :D

+∞

Well said.

A lot of the criticism here is just internet douchbaggery. Can't worry about it. It would be fun, if you aren't too sensitive, to post your own picture on the road cycling forum and ask people to criticize your appearance...
But if you were to meet every user of BF, you'd see all kind of different people with different styles and approached to cycling.

Exactly! I've met atleast a couple hundred riders through various forums. I can say the "posters" ( I won't call them riders) that sit back and criticize other members are the posters that won't come out for a ride/forum ride. Yeah, they know it all, they've done it all, bigger tougher hotter steeper rides with their million dollar bikes but will they come out for a simple ride? Nope!:D

Bad thing once you expose them, they do whatever they can on the forums to make you look bad, out of insecurity is my guess. Not unless you really believe 80 degrees is too hot for a ride and 70 degrees is too cold. :roflmao2:

As far as those that do show up, yeah, lots of styles and plenty of strong riders no matter how they dress or ride. I've had guys on touring bikes, racks, bells kick the snot out of me on rides and others that looked like Lance turn back cause the ride was too tough.:p

Fred makes not one bit of difference, as mentioned, it's all internet d'baggery.:thumb:

Ride like the honey badger. It don't care. It don't give a shirt.

Love, Randall.

Yeah. That. If you really wanna be a snob, go hang out in the roadie forum and don't ever wave or acknowledge other cyclists in any way.

I wave to you all the time, don't I ?:D...btw, how's the new bike?