# Gran Fondo doper update



## wtfbbq (Apr 5, 2012)

Interesting VeloSnooze article about Mr. Anthony. Didn't want it to get buried in the other thread.

In search of relevance, a Cat. 3 turns to EPO and HGH


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## godot (Feb 3, 2004)

Thanks for posting, interesting read.


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## PDex (Mar 23, 2004)

One of my Facebook friends wrote on his wall:



> No Talent Ass Clown dopes to reach category 2, then gets featured on Velonews.com. Interesting article, but aren't there some clean cyclists who could use this kind of exposure?


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## PixelPaul (Oct 8, 2004)

{clip}Anthony worried his new team wouldn’t keep him on the roster if he didn’t produce results{clip}

I guess I'm not that familiar with the New York cycling scene, but does a Cat 4 riders really get cut from the team for lack of performance?


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## jms (Jan 9, 2008)

*Refreshing*

I read the Velonews article. I find Anthony's candor refreshing.

Jesus, it's riding a bike, no one died and he's doing his time. End of witch hunt. Maybe let's tone down the self righteousness a bit?


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## trailrunner68 (Apr 23, 2011)

It reads like one long list of excuses.

He was winning in Cat 4 but getting shelled at Cat 3 so he needed to dope? I call BS.


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

trailrunner68 said:


> It reads like one long list of excuses.
> 
> He was winning in Cat 4 but getting shelled at Cat 3 so he needed to dope? I call BS.


It might be BS...but I'd be willing to bet it happens way more than anybody is willing to admit, especially at the masters level of racing where health insurance and discretionary income are greater...and this guys was a Masters level racer at 42 years old. :mad2:


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## wtfbbq (Apr 5, 2012)

PDex said:


> One of my Facebook friends wrote on his wall:


Everyone heard about the failed test and sanctions. I liked that VeloNews followed up for the story. I have no problem with the sanctions but I'm sorry for the guy -- cat 4 and doping. I think more people knowing that this kind of thing goes on in amateur racing is a good thing.

They give plenty of space to deserving athletes. A cautionary tale once in a while ain't a bad thing.


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

It reads like many drug abuse stories.


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

After reading that, I'd ride with the guy. The man just got a solid dose of perspective, something he (and a lot of other amateur racers) lack. I'd probably discourage him from riding in competitive events again because of his tendency to take things too far, but I'd ride with him. I can't excuse his behavior, but I'm too much like him not to sympathize. 

I'm a 42 year old high CAT4/low CAT 3 (equivalent- non-USAC league) that has a coach and a power meter. There but for the grace of God and a lack of disposable income go I.


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

Alaska Mike said:


> After reading that,* I'd ride with the guy.* The man just got a solid dose of perspective, something he (and a lot of other amateur racers) lack. I'd probably discourage him from riding in competitive events again because of his tendency to take things too far, but I'd ride with him. I can't excuse his behavior, but I'm too much like him not to sympathize.
> 
> I'm a 42 year old high CAT4/low CAT 3 (equivalent- non-USAC league) that has a coach and a power meter. There but for the grace of God and a lack of disposable income go I.


It's going to be a few years before he rides again. I wonder how much of his confession and "coming clean" had to do with his injury. 

Anyway, I would still ride with the guy. 
I've seen masters chop wheels or intentionally ride sketchy in 1/2/3 races.
and 
There's a report of a masters guy taking out a Kenda rider. 

As long as someone isn't trying to run me off the road, I don't worry about what they choose to put in their own body. Plus, I like to ride with strong riders who push themselves (and push me). Of course, it would suck to lose to someone who is on the sauce, but if I don't know about it, why would I care?


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## David Loving (Jun 13, 2008)

pitiful - this fred needs therapy and psych-Rx. Read Bike Snob's take on him - scroll down to 7-24 Bike Snob NYC: Search results for fondo Perfect title: "When Freds Go Bad"


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

Riding with and racing with are two different things.

Getting popped and the injury probably gave him the time to see just how wrong what he was doing actually was. As deep as he was in, without the injury he might not have come out of that spiral. He not only had the racing taken away, but the riding too. That is what I would characterize as a whole lot of perspective.

Modern society has become hardwired to expect quick-fix solutions and to believe that everyone deserves to win. I must admit that I've idly thought about doping over the years, but at the end of the day I just don't feel like the consequences (health, legal, financial, mental...) are worth it for me in cycling, or even sports for which I have any natural aptitude. I'm just out there for fun, and despite the snazzy kit I'm not a professional. If I don't do well in races nobody is going to go hungry or have to sleep on the street.

He seems to have lost sight of what was actually fun about riding.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

Deny it all you want, we are all deluded Freds to varying degrees. However, if you aren't having fun out there, you are doing it wrong.

This guy went off the deep end. Life has given him a chance for some serious introspection, and a possible chance at redemption or at least a richer life outside of cycling. We should all be so lucky.


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## trailrunner68 (Apr 23, 2011)

I cannot believe people are actually eating up his excuse. The guy is POS who is desperately promoting a "come to Jesus" cover story to make himself look better. It is not an accident that he participated in stories by Velonews and the New York Times. That is public relations at work. He owns a multi-million dollar digial publishing company and wants to lessen the effect of being caught for cheating on his business and himself.

His story does not even make sense. He was winning the most bad ass race on the eastern calendar, Battenkill, as both a Cat 5 and a Cat 4, then getting shelled from the pack when he moved to Cat 3 so he had to dope? That does not make sense. People who raced against him in the lower Cats saw a huge unexplained jump in performance. Chances are this dude was doping from the beginning, right from Cat freakin' 5.

This is the same story we see all the time in Masters racing. Some Type-A douchenozzle, who expects to always win at everything in his life, has no problem with doing whatever it takes, legal or not, to maintain his image of himself as a winner.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

foto said:


> We should all be so lucky.


he just gave you the recipe, nothing to do with luck :thumbsup:


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

trailrunner68 said:


> I cannot believe people are actually eating up his excuse. The guy is POS who is desperately promoting a "come to Jesus" cover story to make himself look better. It is not an accident that he participated in stories by Velonews and the New York Times. That is public relations at work. He owns a multi-million dollar digial publishing company *and wants to lessen the effect of being caught for cheating on his business and himself.*
> 
> His story does not even make sense. He was not winning the most bad ass race on the eastern calendar, Battenkill, as both a Cat 5 and a Cat 4, then getting shelled from the pack when he moved to Cat 3 so he had to dope. That does not make sense. People who raced against him in the lower Cats saw a huge unexplained jump in performance. Chances are this dude was doping from the beginning, right from Cat freakin' 5.
> 
> This is the same story we see all the time in Masters racing. Some Type-A douchenozzle, who expects to always win at everything in his life, has no problem with doing whatever it takes, legal or not, to maintain his image of himself as a winner.


Yeah, screw him for wanting to try and lessen the damage he has caused.

If he wants to be a real pro-wannabe, he would sue the **** out of everybody, and deny everything, even after he has been found unequivocally guilty. That would be much more consistent, and therefore better. He should also sell his company, all his bikes, donate all the money to lance, and then be exiled from new york city for the rest of his life after being publicly disfigured.


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## trailrunner68 (Apr 23, 2011)

foto said:


> Yeah, screw him for wanting to try and lessen the damage he has caused.


The only thing he is trying to lessen is damage to his own reputation.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

trailrunner68 said:


> The only thing he is trying to lessen is damage to his own reputation.


I am pretty sure he is also interested in protecting the people in his community who were not complicit in his cheating, but are nevertheless going to be looked at with tons of suspicion. But of course, he would only want to do that for selfish reasons, after all, there is no such thing as a truly altruistic action, is there?


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

den bakker said:


> he just gave you the recipe, nothing to do with luck :thumbsup:


Yeah, that recipe isn't going to work for me, I got into the 3s the old fashioned way, by riding alot, and working my way up.

I will need to find something else to cheat at...


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

trailrunner68 said:


> The only thing he is trying to lessen is damage to his own reputation.


Im not so sure about this. Im only on FAR FAR FAR periphery of the NYC racing scene, knowing some people who take part in it and have competed against this guy and for all accounts, his repuation cant be worse right now. Hes not saving any face by coming clean...there is no "face" to save. So, I personally tend to believe hes contrite for the right reasons.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

Here is an interesting and rational perspective...

David Anthony: A hero for our times « Cycling in the South Bay

"...This boy went all in, and he went all down. The only thing that could have made his undoing more complete might have been an arrest for public masturbation or the discovery of unpaid child support bills..."


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

*Hmm*

He doped. Dumb. It does seem like he was taking all of the necessary steps to increase ability on the bike in addition to doping.

It would have been nice to see him reach Cat 2 level perhaps one or two seasons later if he was just patient enough. 

Training-wise, diet-wise, coach-wise....he WAS working hard it seems and had the right personality to reach max potential.

Too bad he chose to take the short cut...


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## AdamM (Jul 9, 2008)

IMO, the rest of the story is just as bad. I mean a 40 something year old guy sleeping in an oxygen chamber to improve his beer league cycling performance? That's funny and pathetic at the same time.


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## David Loving (Jun 13, 2008)

another Fred gone bad!


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## cyclesport45 (Dec 10, 2007)

Dope. A good label for it all.


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

trailrunner68 said:


> I cannot believe people are actually eating up his excuse. The guy is POS who is desperately promoting a "come to Jesus" cover story to make himself look better. It is not an accident that he participated in stories by Velonews and the New York Times. That is public relations at work. He owns a multi-million dollar digial publishing company and wants to lessen the effect of being caught for cheating on his business and himself.


We need some perspective on David Anthony's 15 minutes...

We have rapists, murderers, child molesters, and bank robbers to think about. People embezzle millions on wallstreet; people pilfer local businesses. Men get busted for trafficking kiddie porn. If you've been in the business world then you know a guy who ruined his life with alcohol. Along the way in life you may have met someone who got addicted to meth and ruined their life that way -- maybe someone dropped off the radar but rumor has it she's a real drug addict, one who turned to prostitution for a fix. Or maybe there's an ex con -- but nobody worries about the ex con because he turned his life around. Such is life. 

Here we have David Anthony, a successful business man who took some performance enhancing drugs to ride a bicycle faster. Maybe he had a dr's prescription; maybe he bought the stuff online. We don't know. What we do know is that some people in his business circle may have no idea about Anthony's troubles. Those who know about it may wonder, "Did Anthony actually break any laws?" Those who know the details may downplay Anthony's actions, "Well he didn't hurt anyone..."

Yes, he's banned from riding a bicycle. And he's kicked off his amateur club team. Again, nobody really cares. 

There's more to the world than cycling.


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## badge118 (Dec 26, 2002)

Wookiebiker said:


> It might be BS...but I'd be willing to bet it happens way more than anybody is willing to admit, especially at the masters level of racing where health insurance and discretionary income are greater...and this guys was a Masters level racer at 42 years old. :mad2:


It's also more common in Masters because of the fff'd up dynamic in US cycling. Go to a local race and you will see CAT 1,2s sandbagging in a Masters race as a "warm up" or "cooldown" race AND racing in the CAT 1,2 basically so they can increase their chance of winning something that weekend. In Europe you have to pick. If you pick CAT 1,2 you can't race the Masters race.

Its why I don't race Masters any more when I do race. I would rather be beat by someone legitimately in my CAT or in an "open" than get sandbagged by a pseudo-elite desperate to throw their hands in the air.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Local Hero said:


> Here we have David Anthony, a successful business man who took some performance enhancing drugs to ride a bicycle faster


That's a bit simplistic.

He went way beyond that. And his lack of judgement should give anyone second thoughts about conducting business with him in his professional capacity.


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> That's a bit simplistic.
> 
> *He went way beyond that.* And his lack of judgement should give anyone second thoughts about conducting business with him in his professional capacity.


How did he go beyond taking performance enhancing drugs to win bicycle races? 

I understand that people want to release the hate and demonize this guy. But come on. There are no civil or criminal charges against the guy. There's no reason to think the guy is a bad or dishonest business man. 

He's not Bernie Maddoff. There's no evidence that he commingled assets for his personal gain. He didn't borrow from customer accounts to support his habits. The guy injected some hormones in his stomach fat so he could pedal faster, for longer periods of time on a bicycle. 

Again, we don't know how Anthony got his juice. Maybe it was legally prescribed, maybe from the internet, and maybe from Mexico. That said, a significant number of 40+ and 50+ men know about, have considered, or are currently using testosterone replacement therapy. Commercials for the junk are on mainstream TV:


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

badge118 said:


> It's also more common in Masters because of the fff'd up dynamic in US cycling. Go to a local race and you will see CAT 1,2s sandbagging in a Masters race as a "warm up" or "cooldown" race AND racing in the CAT 1,2 basically so they can increase their chance of winning something that weekend. In Europe you have to pick. If you pick CAT 1,2 you can't race the Masters race.
> 
> Its why I don't race Masters any more when I do race. I would rather be beat by someone legitimately in my CAT or in an "open" than get sandbagged by a pseudo-elite desperate to throw their hands in the air.


We do have a rule here. Pros cannot race masters. 

That's one of the reasons why I'm looking forward to getting a little older. It's funny -- I haven't wanted to be older since I was 20 and wanted to get into a bar. Now I want to age a little so I can race more. 

Once I get to 35, I will be able to race two or three times in a day. If I drive 2-3 to race, I want to get the most out of it. And what's wrong with trying to increase my chances of winning? (Once cyclocross comes around I'm going to race the Bs on my single speed and then race the single speed As -- that's fair, right?)

On another note, I think the problems of doping among amateurs is worst among masters. David Anthony is an extreme case. But countless masters guys go to their drs and get TRT.


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## johnny dollar (Jul 21, 2010)

Mommy wow! I've got Fred cred now!


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

I don't know why everyone is calling the guy a Fred. 

When I think Fred I think of fat guy with a pro tour team jersey flapping in the wind as he rides his cervelo down the bike path. Cat 2 is no joke.


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

Local Hero said:


> I don't know why everyone is calling the guy a Fred.
> 
> When I think Fred I think of fat guy with a pro tour team jersey flapping in the wind as he rides his cervelo down the bike path. Cat 2 is no joke.


I don't think the guy is a "Fred" ... but I think people are referring to him in that vain because if it were not for the "PED's" he would have been another CAT 4 racer on a 10k bike (not that there is any problem with that either).

Overall...in the end, what difference did it make? He didn't take needed money away from another persons mouth (he was only a 40+ year old CAT2)...though he did take a win or two away from people, but that's as much an ego thing as anything.

Other than him being a loser for needing HGH and EPO to become a CAT 2 he has done nothing really...now if he kept another rider from making a pro team by taking his spot...that would be another thing...however, that's not the case.


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

I get it now.


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

He's a cautionary tale, nothing else.

Some people equate his actions to buying the best/most expensive aero wheels, getting a coach, or using a power meter- in effect he was "buying speed". I think the comparison is a bit extreme, but in his mind at the time he was "all in" in his quest to maximize his potential. I agree, the guy probably could have done it cleanly in a few more years given his single-minded dedication, and likely the achievements would have meant a lot more to him. It's likely he'll never know now. The local racing community will likely never again embrace him. He's done.

I hope he rides again. Just for fun. I hope he finds a group that will ride with him. Short of that, I hope he finds another recreational pursuit and remembers this experience, and how *he* turned something good into something bad.

Again, a cautionary tale.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

Cat 2s on 5k bikes are also "Freds". There are simply degrees to how deluded we are. Many of us are only slightly deluded. Some of us are very deluded, and a few are off the deep end.

I would say that Cat 2s are getting there...


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## trailrunner68 (Apr 23, 2011)

A poseur is not the same thing as a fred. Usually poseurs do not race; that's why they are called poseurs. Although there are racers that have the poseur attitude. They pretend to be more than they are. Poseurhood is a state of mind. It's attitude. A little self deprecation goes a long way toward alleviating poseurhood.

Freds typically do not race either. Freds are oblivious to all the image and fashion that poseurs strive so hard try to maintain. Freds are the opposite of poseurs.


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

I thought Freds were obsessed with gadgets, gizmos and having stuff -- guys with a mirror on the handlebars and a football-sized bag under the saddle. I always thought they were the triathletes of the cycling world -- guys without much real talent but a lot of money to spend on products. In the running world Freds are slow runners who wear the free race shirt on race day. 

Poseurs (posers?) are the weekend warrior type, except they don't race 

All that said, anyone who races is cool in my book. Actually, Freds and posers aren't that bad. They're harmless.


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## tricycletalent (Apr 2, 2005)

I feel for the guy. I hold a medical licence, I haven't won anything yet, but once I do, once I have one victory in the bag, I am gonna start jucing big-time. 
I hate you all, and a huge part of the motivation is spite. Cycling as a sport, not as a health investment, is cruel. People come together like in high-school. If you aren't any good or talented, then you are on the outside. I have been looking in for so long, after breaking down in a race with the flu some 6y ago, I cried and focking called it quits. That sh1tty sport definitely didn't do me no good. 
After finally graduating, I have actually found MORE time to train, and picked the sh1t up again. My Cinqo has shown increasing power output the last two years. I am going conservative in mileage increases, and I am monitoring steady improvement after tried and true periodization principles. I am gonna get that win next year, or in two years tops, and then I will f0ck you all over with a smile, whilst injecting aranesp, smearing testosterone gel in periods, drinking gallons of albuterol, and there is nothing you can do about it.


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## badge118 (Dec 26, 2002)

Local Hero said:


> We do have a rule here. Pros cannot race masters.
> 
> That's one of the reasons why I'm looking forward to getting a little older. It's funny -- I haven't wanted to be older since I was 20 and wanted to get into a bar. Now I want to age a little so I can race more.
> 
> ...


Sorry but your rationalization isn't logical in terms of sport. The reason for not having the choice in the US was that the fields were to small, not so people have an extra chance to win. The reason u have to chose in Europe is because they see it as unsporting at it's core. I agree


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

Who should and shouldn't ride in Masters is a very old argument.

My thought is just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should- as evidenced by the story of Mr Anthony.


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## jms (Jan 9, 2008)

*Great Perspective*



Alaska Mike said:


> He's a cautionary tale, nothing else.
> 
> Some people equate his actions to buying the best/most expensive aero wheels, getting a coach, or using a power meter- in effect he was "buying speed". I think the comparison is a bit extreme, but in his mind at the time he was "all in" in his quest to maximize his potential. I agree, the guy probably could have done it cleanly in a few more years given his single-minded dedication, and likely the achievements would have meant a lot more to him. It's likely he'll never know now. The local racing community will likely never again embrace him. He's done.
> 
> ...


Great perspective. If I wasn't so lazy, I'd have written something similar to what you've contributed in this thread.:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## tricycletalent (Apr 2, 2005)

Local Hero said:


> All that said, anyone who races is cool in my book. Actually, Freds and posers aren't that bad. They're harmless.


Ppl who race are mostly *******s in my book. Comes from experience.


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## Doctor Falsetti (Sep 24, 2010)

David Anthony: A hero for our times « Cycling in the South Bay

Classic


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

tricycletalent said:


> Ppl who race are mostly *******s in my book. Comes from experience.


elaborate


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## David Loving (Jun 13, 2008)

Local Hero said:


> I don't know why everyone is calling the guy a Fred.
> 
> When I think Fred I think of fat guy with a pro tour team jersey flapping in the wind as he rides his cervelo down the bike path. Cat 2 is no joke.


Cat 2 was a joke in that, he thought he could buy his way in. Bike Snob NYC: Crossing the Line: When Freds Go Bad He's a fred because he bought it and couldn't handle it - a complete disconnect with reality. Lived in a cycling dreamworld. Like the fat guy in the red skinsuit. I didn't know he broke his leg.


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## The Weasel (Jul 20, 2006)

They should update the game of Life for these types of things.

"Get busted for doping at Masters level. Lose one turn"


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## badge118 (Dec 26, 2002)

Have the same issue in one of my bike clubs. there is some completely insane anti-racer bias in some corners. My club wanted to start a small racing contingent. Give the club good PR with the name on the Jerseys. Do networking with local businesses to sponsor the club (and thus the racing of course) etc. The push back was insane even though the people that wanted to do it had been members of the club for YEARS and were all well liked. The minute they mentioned racing they all suddenly changed into pond scum. It was sad really.


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

David Loving said:


> Cat 2 was a joke in that, he thought he could buy his way in. Bike Snob NYC: Crossing the Line: When Freds Go Bad He's a fred because he bought it and couldn't handle it - a complete disconnect with reality. Lived in a cycling dreamworld. Like the fat guy in the red skinsuit. I didn't know he broke his leg.


Well, according to the absolutist bike snob, any non-pro is either a poser or Fred. No upgrade or expensive purchase is justifiable. We're all delusional amateurs. When compared to the pros, we're all fat guys in red skinsuits. 


badge118 said:


> Have the same issue in one of my bike clubs. there is some completely insane anti-racer bias in some corners. My club wanted to start a small racing contingent. Give the club good PR with the name on the Jerseys. Do networking with local businesses to sponsor the club (and thus the racing of course) etc. The push back was insane even though the people that wanted to do it had been members of the club for YEARS and were all well liked. The minute they mentioned racing they all suddenly changed into pond scum. It was sad really.


Did they explain what's wrong with racing? 

Maybe I'm too competitive. If there were no racing in cycling I probably would go back to running. I definitely wouldn't own a CF bike; I'd have a surly LHT equipped with fenders for commuting and touring.


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## badge118 (Dec 26, 2002)

3I thought the guy was referring to "racers". There is a difference though. Even I have to admit the guys I deal with at a cross race and those I hang with at MTB racers (don't race MTB) tend to have a much lower "you suck we don't" quotient than the Road races. The elitism, sometimes referred to as "tradition" that still has some effect on the amature road scene I think is the issue the guy was talking about, not the notion of racing itself.


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