Fred is Dead
01-08-16 | 05:33 PM
#51
Voice of the Industry
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 12,572
Likes: 8
Late 70s the term Fred came out. That was the grey bearded guy with a Bell Helmet and mirror and baggy EuroPro wool jersey. Betty - came along later. That was a long time ago.
People should ride what they want if it makes their cycling better. I especially like handlebar mirrors and bright tail LEDs.
People should ride what they want if it makes their cycling better. I especially like handlebar mirrors and bright tail LEDs.
01-09-16 | 09:03 AM
#54
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,611
Likes: 478
I agree that Fred these days essentially means "poseur". But it's a very specific type of poseur.
Riding with fenders, a wool jersey and a mirror does not make you a Fred. In fact, most times these items make you the opposite of a Fred: a non-pretentious bike rider who has made a lot of good choices. HypnoToad's image on page 1 is the opposite of a Fred: he's a guy who looks like he knows what he's doing.
No, your true Fred combines cluelessness with pointlessness and a large amount or pretentiousness. They've made a concerted effort, spent some money and you can tell they've tried to fit a self-defined image of what a "serious bike rider" looks like or does but they've got it just a bit wrong. They just have no idea what they're doing and it's all a bit pathetic.
Today's Fred has the following characteristics:
1. Jarringly conflicted but carefully selected equipment choices: aero bars on a mountain bike, deep section carbon wheels on a flat bar hybrid, a thickly-padded sprung saddle (for "comfort") on a weight weenie carbon race bike, ridiculously tight race fit lycra for toodling along at 10 MPH on a MUP, flat pedals and blinding white leather cross training shoes on a Colnago C60.
2. Poor bike handling, slow pace, saddle too low, flatfooted peddling style, grinding a HUGE gear at 25 RPM and pudgy physique but a $5,000 bike.
3. Carefully selected Primal Wear, "funny", "macho" or otherwise ridiculous novelty jersey, generally worn way too baggy or way too tight. Because they're "bike riding" which is supposed to be "goofy", in their mind.
4. Attempting to be a "Serious Looking Biker" but riding a poorly maintained / dangerous bike with numerous two minute fixes required: rear derailleur slightly out of adjustment, front derailleur rubbing for mile after mile, flat tires, squeaky chain, handlebars at weird angle, misaligned saddle.
Your garden variety Fred emanates a strong odor of "I just don't get it".
/don't take this seriously at all, anyone on a bike is a friend of mine.
Riding with fenders, a wool jersey and a mirror does not make you a Fred. In fact, most times these items make you the opposite of a Fred: a non-pretentious bike rider who has made a lot of good choices. HypnoToad's image on page 1 is the opposite of a Fred: he's a guy who looks like he knows what he's doing.
No, your true Fred combines cluelessness with pointlessness and a large amount or pretentiousness. They've made a concerted effort, spent some money and you can tell they've tried to fit a self-defined image of what a "serious bike rider" looks like or does but they've got it just a bit wrong. They just have no idea what they're doing and it's all a bit pathetic.
Today's Fred has the following characteristics:
1. Jarringly conflicted but carefully selected equipment choices: aero bars on a mountain bike, deep section carbon wheels on a flat bar hybrid, a thickly-padded sprung saddle (for "comfort") on a weight weenie carbon race bike, ridiculously tight race fit lycra for toodling along at 10 MPH on a MUP, flat pedals and blinding white leather cross training shoes on a Colnago C60.
2. Poor bike handling, slow pace, saddle too low, flatfooted peddling style, grinding a HUGE gear at 25 RPM and pudgy physique but a $5,000 bike.
3. Carefully selected Primal Wear, "funny", "macho" or otherwise ridiculous novelty jersey, generally worn way too baggy or way too tight. Because they're "bike riding" which is supposed to be "goofy", in their mind.
4. Attempting to be a "Serious Looking Biker" but riding a poorly maintained / dangerous bike with numerous two minute fixes required: rear derailleur slightly out of adjustment, front derailleur rubbing for mile after mile, flat tires, squeaky chain, handlebars at weird angle, misaligned saddle.
Your garden variety Fred emanates a strong odor of "I just don't get it".
/don't take this seriously at all, anyone on a bike is a friend of mine.
Last edited by Hiro11; 01-09-16 at 09:17 AM.
01-09-16 | 09:29 AM
#55
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 8,951
Likes: 14
Fred and poseur are opposite extremes. A Fred doesn't care about style and gets it all wrong. A poseur is all about style and looking the part.
e.g. A Fred is happy to use an eyeglasses mounted mirror. A poseur wouldn't be caught dead with one. A Fred has a big seat bag stuffed with all sorts of contingency items. A poser sticks a CO2 and tube in his jersey pocket. etc...
e.g. A Fred is happy to use an eyeglasses mounted mirror. A poseur wouldn't be caught dead with one. A Fred has a big seat bag stuffed with all sorts of contingency items. A poser sticks a CO2 and tube in his jersey pocket. etc...
Last edited by Looigi; 01-09-16 at 09:37 AM.
01-09-16 | 10:04 AM
#56
The Left Coast, USA
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,757
Likes: 25
Bikes: Bulls, Bianchi, Koga, Trek, Miyata
I agree that Fred these days essentially means "poseur". But it's a very specific type of poseur.
Riding with fenders, a wool jersey and a mirror does not make you a Fred. In fact, most times these items make you the opposite of a Fred: a non-pretentious bike rider who has made a lot of good choices. HypnoToad's image on page 1 is the opposite of a Fred: he's a guy who looks like he knows what he's doing.
No, your true Fred combines cluelessness with pointlessness and a large amount or pretentiousness. They've made a concerted effort, spent some money and you can tell they've tried to fit a self-defined image of what a "serious bike rider" looks like or does but they've got it just a bit wrong. They just have no idea what they're doing and it's all a bit pathetic.
Today's Fred has the following characteristics:
1. Jarringly conflicted but carefully selected equipment choices: aero bars on a mountain bike, deep section carbon wheels on a flat bar hybrid, a thickly-padded sprung saddle (for "comfort") on a weight weenie carbon race bike, ridiculously tight race fit lycra for toodling along at 10 MPH on a MUP, flat pedals and blinding white leather cross training shoes on a Colnago C60.
2. Poor bike handling, slow pace, saddle too low, flatfooted peddling style, grinding a HUGE gear at 25 RPM and pudgy physique but a $5,000 bike.
3. Carefully selected Primal Wear, "funny", "macho" or otherwise ridiculous novelty jersey, generally worn way too baggy or way too tight. Because they're "bike riding" which is supposed to be "goofy", in their mind.
4. Attempting to be a "Serious Looking Biker" but riding a poorly maintained / dangerous bike with numerous two minute fixes required: rear derailleur slightly out of adjustment, front derailleur rubbing for mile after mile, flat tires, squeaky chain, handlebars at weird angle, misaligned saddle.
Your garden variety Fred emanates a strong odor of "I just don't get it".
/don't take this seriously at all, anyone on a bike is a friend of mine.
Riding with fenders, a wool jersey and a mirror does not make you a Fred. In fact, most times these items make you the opposite of a Fred: a non-pretentious bike rider who has made a lot of good choices. HypnoToad's image on page 1 is the opposite of a Fred: he's a guy who looks like he knows what he's doing.
No, your true Fred combines cluelessness with pointlessness and a large amount or pretentiousness. They've made a concerted effort, spent some money and you can tell they've tried to fit a self-defined image of what a "serious bike rider" looks like or does but they've got it just a bit wrong. They just have no idea what they're doing and it's all a bit pathetic.
Today's Fred has the following characteristics:
1. Jarringly conflicted but carefully selected equipment choices: aero bars on a mountain bike, deep section carbon wheels on a flat bar hybrid, a thickly-padded sprung saddle (for "comfort") on a weight weenie carbon race bike, ridiculously tight race fit lycra for toodling along at 10 MPH on a MUP, flat pedals and blinding white leather cross training shoes on a Colnago C60.
2. Poor bike handling, slow pace, saddle too low, flatfooted peddling style, grinding a HUGE gear at 25 RPM and pudgy physique but a $5,000 bike.
3. Carefully selected Primal Wear, "funny", "macho" or otherwise ridiculous novelty jersey, generally worn way too baggy or way too tight. Because they're "bike riding" which is supposed to be "goofy", in their mind.
4. Attempting to be a "Serious Looking Biker" but riding a poorly maintained / dangerous bike with numerous two minute fixes required: rear derailleur slightly out of adjustment, front derailleur rubbing for mile after mile, flat tires, squeaky chain, handlebars at weird angle, misaligned saddle.
Your garden variety Fred emanates a strong odor of "I just don't get it".
/don't take this seriously at all, anyone on a bike is a friend of mine.
01-09-16 | 10:26 AM
#57
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,766
Likes: 89
From: East Bay Area ,CA
Bikes: not enough
Maybe it's regional, round here, Fred is the dorky utility biker (not the posers, cause posers are posers).
Maybe this guy fits the CA Fred definition better:
(BTW - I love that orange Globe Daily! I won it on the Nation Bike Challenge a few years ago and ride that thing all the time.)
Maybe this guy fits the CA Fred definition better:
(BTW - I love that orange Globe Daily! I won it on the Nation Bike Challenge a few years ago and ride that thing all the time.)
01-09-16 | 07:54 PM
#59
meh
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 4,742
Likes: 1,129
From: Hopkins, MN
Bikes: 23 Cutthroat, 21 CoMotion Java; 21 Bianchi Infinito; 15 Surly Pugsley; 11 Globe Daily; 09 Kona Dew Drop; 96 Mondonico
The bloody knee is a hack clipping his pedal on a tight turn.
01-09-16 | 08:00 PM
#60
Administrator
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 34,326
Likes: 8,480
From: Hudson Valley, NY
Bikes: Merlin Cyrene '04; Bridgestone RB-1 '92
Fred and poseur are opposite extremes. A Fred doesn't care about style and gets it all wrong. A poseur is all about style and looking the part.
e.g. A Fred is happy to use an eyeglasses mounted mirror. A poseur wouldn't be caught dead with one. A Fred has a big seat bag stuffed with all sorts of contingency items. A poser sticks a CO2 and tube in his jersey pocket. etc...
e.g. A Fred is happy to use an eyeglasses mounted mirror. A poseur wouldn't be caught dead with one. A Fred has a big seat bag stuffed with all sorts of contingency items. A poser sticks a CO2 and tube in his jersey pocket. etc...
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01-09-16 | 08:06 PM
#61
Broken neck Ken
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,221
Likes: 3,516
From: Portland, OR
Bikes: Trek Domane SL6 Gen 3, Soma Fog Cutter, Detroit Bikes Sparrow FG, Trek Mt Track XCNimbus MUni
Fred and poseur are opposite extremes. A Fred doesn't care about style and gets it all wrong. A poseur is all about style and looking the part.
e.g. A Fred is happy to use an eyeglasses mounted mirror. A poseur wouldn't be caught dead with one. A Fred has a big seat bag stuffed with all sorts of contingency items. A poser sticks a CO2 and tube in his jersey pocket. etc...
e.g. A Fred is happy to use an eyeglasses mounted mirror. A poseur wouldn't be caught dead with one. A Fred has a big seat bag stuffed with all sorts of contingency items. A poser sticks a CO2 and tube in his jersey pocket. etc...
01-09-16 | 09:49 PM
#62
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 10,588
Likes: 427
From: Southern California, USA
Bikes: 1979 Raleigh Team 753
01-10-16 | 11:43 AM
#64
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 10,588
Likes: 427
From: Southern California, USA
Bikes: 1979 Raleigh Team 753
Pretty funny last night trying them on his glasses walking around the house playing I-see-you... I think he really wants them so he can see me checking up on his computer screen time. Good race training.
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