On Getting Dropped by a Fred
 

So I met my buddy on my afternoon commute yesterday and we decided that a 40 mile loop on such a beautiful day would be just the thing for loosening up sore legs after the previous day’s intervals. We’re tooling along soaking up the rays when we hear a whooping “How yaaa doin’?!?!” on our left. Overtaking us is this bike covered with more gadgets than I could even assess with a single glance, piloted by a rider clad in knee high red wool socks, a helmet from 1976, and a long salt and pepper beard blowing horizontally across his face. He drops in ahead of us so fast that I looked down to make sure I hadn’t flatted.

As I see him become smaller and smaller on the road ahead of us, his t-shirt fluttering madly in the wind, I smiled to myself and took pleasure in sharing the joys of such a wonderful pastime.

You're lucky. At least you weren't going flat out when this happened. I was - on two occasions. Both times I was on my carbon wonder mountain bike. The last time it happened I was doing hill repeats for mtb racing at a ski area. I was doing the repeats on the hilltop access road on a hot, quiet, mid-week afternoon. I was maxed out, 1/2 way up the climb when I heard crunching gravel behind me. I was impressed as I was quite a good climber at the time.
He came gliding past me and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it - he was dressed in a wife-beater white vest, flappy nylon shorts, '80s helmet, knee-length socks and sneakers. The sneakers were planted on plain plastic pedals and the ultimate insult was the arm of the kickstand pointing back in a way that yelled an accusing "poser!" aimed at me.

That guy had something that money couldn't buy nor training achieve.

I have found similar anomalies in a number of gear intensive sports I pursue. It almost makes you feel like they’re saying “stop taking all the fun out of this by over complicating it”. It’s a humbling experience.

I'm sorry, but anyone who drops me is, by definition, not a Fred.

I'll defer to the rest of BF on that.

The fastest guy that I have ridden with extensively is sort of this way. Never has shaved his legs. Always wears a white t-shirt instead of a cycling jersey. Rides a 90s cannondale with downtube shifters and old helmet. (Although I heard that he finally bought a new bike now that he has moved back west).

Anyone who makes the mistake of thinking that he is anything but a fearsome presence will soon find out they are dead wrong. In his peak training years he was riding 500 miles a week and winning all the time. Sometimes I think he was just trying to fool the roadies into thinking he was just a goofball, because his M.O. was to enter long races, break away early, and never be seen again. If they don't take you seriously, then they are more likely to give you more of a gap.


His best 100 mile solo time is 3:45.

Noted. So your mom is not a fred.

It makes you wonder if dudes like this do so well because they don't get wrapped up in all the BS and just go ride. While you're crunching the numbers on a lighter wheel set, he's riding. While you're debating on whether you should really by inflating your tires to 120 PSI vs. 110 PSI, he's riding. While you’re on BF dissin’ other people’s bikes, he’s riding. You get the picture.

On the other side of the coin. I know a gent (a good guy) who laid down 12 grand or more on a Colnago wirh Super Record, Bora Ultras, the whole fricken nine right down to the carbon seat. If he rides 1000 miles this year, it will be one for the books.

But hey, that's him.

That's just ridiculous, wind, hill, or whatnot.

I know a couple of guys like that myself. But in keeping with the spirit of my original post, good for them that they get out at all.

Most people who buy super-cars (talking >$200,000 not something like a BMW M5 or a 911 turbo) don't drive them all that much because they have more than 1. There are others (I know someone personally), who use them as daily drivers. It's one thing to be a hater and another to be fortunate enough to enjoy something like that.

True.

I ain't no hater. On any account.

BTW . Just saw your sig.

Damn

I think it was my 2nd ride this year, but this guy came around me and he was wearing a pair of Dickie's carpenter jeans and he was down in his clip on aero bars wearing a backpack. I chuckled. I wasn't humbled because I'm not a fast rider, just amused..or maybe even entertained!

That was no ordinary Fred, that whas the Spirit of Sheldon Brown!

what the hell is a fred? and what is a poseur? BF has confused me. i don't know who to make fun of anymore.

Point, set, match! :roflmao2:

Your mirror is your friend.

- Poseur

- Fred

Any questions?

yes. can i make fun of you now?

Make that a sticky.

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

No. Next question.

+165,376,982,154,783,472,798.