Kimbercop

Went out for a ride the other day with a guy I work with. He rides to work nearly everyday on his 1985 Schwinn World Sport with a rear rack and panniers. No cyclocomputer or anything else. Wears mismatched riding gear Etc.. We got going and I figured I'd be able to hang at least for a little bit but he kicked my A&# the whole ride. Never shifted out of the big ring, small ring combo, NEVER!!! Even on a few hills on the trail. He went flying around me like I was standing still and told me to draft him as he went along at 25+. He never even breathed heavy. I couldnt catch him after he would pass me. After a mile or so sprint, he would slow down and coast so I could catch up. Then he would smile and ask how fast I had been going so he could gauge his own speed, then he would smirk. That rotten bastage. And of course now that he found an easy sacrificial lamb, he wants to ride more together. Even mentioned a 4 man PD team, thats when I got my chance to laugh back. I'll show him, (someday).

'nother

heh. Who's the "Fred" now?

Kimbercop

"heh. Who's the "Fred" now?"

Exactly

Danre

haha, nice story.

iNewton

Neither of you sounds like fred. You however found someone that will give you tough love; Best way to get into [better] physical shape.

Work up your ego!

johnny99

Could be he picked is oldest, heaviest bike to slow himself down give you a chance. He also didn't want to intimidate you with his flashiest clothes. If he kept slowing down to let you ride with him, he can't be that bad. Your biggest worry should be him getting bored with you really fast.

patentcad

This does fall into a similar category to saying 'you ride pretty good...for a GIRL' to a female racer on a group ride - who subsequently shells you. Actually I do know better. And in 20 years of riding/racing I've been truly shelled by a girl once - and she had just finished 2nd overall in a major regional (NE USA) stage race in the Pro 1/2 division. Man that woman was tough and FAST. I've ridden with some tough girls, but not quite THAT tough. Very impressive.

By the way there was a pro woman on the Nyack (NY) ride this AM (Team Lipton). She didn't make it over the nasty/suicidal Scratchup Road descent/gnarly little climb 4 miles from the end. But she DID make it that far. And sometimes I don't. But they didn't drop me today : ).

Nothing by the way is nastier than a Fred with Cat 2/3 speed. And they ARE out there.

AnnapolisBOy

Just to confirm they exist - I got passed on the W&OD trail the other day by a guy in normal clothing on what looked like a beater bike with MTB tires. I was cruising at 19 and he blew by, so I tried to repass him. I maxed out at 28mph and was just keeping even with him.

DrPete 

See, to me a guy on a 20-year-old bike who looks like he means business isn't a Fred. These guys are usually former (or current) hard-core riders who deserve respect and a little bit of fear. No true Fred would be caught dead on such an old bike. They need a major-LBS-brand bike outfitted with a computer, mirrors, GPS, reflectors, a saddle pack that's way too big, valve caps, etc. and anything else the dude selling the bike could talk him into "needing." Extra Fred points for shiny, brand-new rear racks that have never seen a pannier and required special fittings because the bike wasn't designed to ever have a rack.

And the really bad Oakley knock-offs (I'm talking the ones that don't even LOOK like Oakleys), because the real ones are just too expensive.

SDRider

I did a coastal ride a few weeks ago and was riding with a group of people when this young guy comes riding up and passes us. He's wearing jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers and he's riding an old steel frame 10 speed. A couple guys who we were riding near for a while took off in chase but this guy was really hammering. Never saw him again. Don't really care either.

derath

Hey! That sounds like me Well, I don't have valve caps, or a rack though.

Actually I just didn't want to spend the $$$ Oakley wanted to put prescription lenses in.

-D

patentcad

>>And the really bad Oakley knock-offs (I'm talking the ones that don't even LOOK like Oakleys), because the real ones are just too expensive. <<

Today my Performance glasses flew off my helmet @ 27 mph - on a competitive ride where I had to think 'should I go back for those?' and the answer was 'nah, I can afford another pair ($35, I had two already)'. I figured I didn't want to give up the Sunday hammerfest for $35. So back @ my LBS I take a hard look at the $150-$230 Oakleys and even try a few pairs on. Guess what? I REALLY like those $35 Performance shades MUCH better. Ordered the replacements today. Under $50 with Fedex 2nd Day shipping.

Oakley Schmokley. How they turned friggin plastic cycling glasses into the bike weenie equivalent of Jimmy Choo shoes I'll never quite get. Great design and marketing. You gotta love that.

CAPTAINTORTOISE

Holy ****. Mismatched riding gear? Is he ******** or something?

DrPete 

The Performance glasses don't qualify. They're far too nice.

bbattle

My son-in-law used to ask me to ride with him. After riding on the road, climbing one small hill, and hitting a couple of trails, he no longer wants to ride. He used to think his Univega was a great bike but no longer. He talks a good game but can't back it up; I think his father-in-law has embarrassed him. Not intentionally, I swear.

DrPete 

I don't ride an old bike, my clothes usually match, and I know that my bike isn't fancy-- When the road turns skyward my riding does ALL the talking, and I think even my fancy glasses get a little embarrassed.

I'm sure someone out there has a term for me too, but hey--we're all out there riding the way we know how.

edzo

I know a guy who rides a concrete huffy, wears jeans, duck waders, carries no water, and can maintain 28mph for 30 miles no problem. after 30 miles he'll admit he's wiped. scary stuff. no one can convince him to get a modern bike. imagine if he did. the huffy weighs 48lbs with steel racks front and back. no clips either.

RiPHRaPH

you have the wrong definition of a Fred.
you got schooled by a real rider.

papedaler

There was a story in Bicycling magazine a year or so ago about a guy who was riding in Harriman State Park in New York when he came upon another cyclist dressed up like a U.S. Postal team rider. He decided to teach this "Lance wannabe" that it takes more than a full set of red, white and blue lycra to make a good rider, so he decided to pass him. He gave chase, and gave chase, and gave chase, but try as he might he couldn't pass him. At one point the other rider turned around and said, "nice day for a ride isn't it," at that point the second rider recognized who he was trying to give a riding lesson to. The Lance wannabe was actually Lance Armstrong.
The moral to the story is to be careful who you challenge out there.

pedex

fred bike? It is a late 80's world sport, or it used to be.

biker7

I think most of us that ride run into fast guys in street clothes on older steel bikes from time to time. They are just strong riders that's all. Which begs the question as to what the true definition of a Fred really is...a guy in average clothes on an old road bike that can ride like the wind...or perhaps more appropriately...a guy on an expensive bike in a kit uniform that has only average speed. Truth is there is room for everybody who enjoys cycling and many of us have encountered both kinds of Fred out on the road. Truth is...all of us non racing amateur cyclists are Freds.
George

BillyD

NOW we're getting into the heart of the issue, that is, the official, widely accepted, true definition of a Fred. What is it? Who is he?

I consider a Fred to be a guy in pedestrian riding clothes and a department store road bike (I'm not even getting into other type bikes) riding one of "our" regular routes. He MAY be a slow, beginner/occasional type rider, but he could be a strong rider who just doesn't give a crap about a fancy-smancy bike or clothes. He's just out there for the Sunday ride, in the same way that the amateur drivers in cars come out for Sunday rides.

That's what I consider a Fred, and truth be told many, many of us started our bicycle careers as young Freds. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

DrPete 

+1. I think our definitions mesh pretty well.

Steve Carell's bike in The 40-year-old virgin is what comes to mind when I think of the ultimate in Fredness.

I was lucky, I think, in escaping Fredness as a newbie because the LBS that I bought my 1st road bike from (Campus Cyclery in Cincinnati, OH) was a Bianchi dealer and most of the staff were racers, but I agree that it's all a progression.

Jstyle

Why can't something like that happen to me?

catatonic

Keep in mind that there will always be that guy who can drop you like a bad habit.

I've been dropped by people on x-mart bikes, and I've dropped people who were in full kit and talking smack to me. That's what's great about cycling, you never know what a rider can really do until your foot is firmly implanted into your own mouth

...I sure know I've tasted my own feet before....not terrible, but I'd rather avoid doing this often, saliva make my toes feel funny.