# What's a fred?



## 10ae1203 (Jan 14, 2007)

OK, I searched, looked in the FAQ's, and I'm at a loss. I feel like the new kid.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

It is a term of ill regard used by fools who think they are better than they are ( the name/term Fred or Barney comes from the Flintstones cartoon). Poser is another term used by those that should know better refering to folks wearing or using equipment that the person doing the name calling would like to own.

Folks trying to feel superior to others should look in the mirror.

MB1
Barney, Fred, Poser.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

A fred is the guy with the reflectors still on his bike who can't ride a straight line. 

A fred will suck your wheel as you pass at the end of a hard 80 mile ride, sprint to "beat" you to the next light, and then turn off so you can't pass him again.

A Fred will wear a world championship, state championship, TdF yellow, etc jersey and not know why other riders are giving him funny looks.

Freds don't carry a pump/CO2, tire irons, or patches, and expect other riders to help them when they flat.

Freds get all excited on the first five miles of a century, try to race everyone, and either blow up or decide to do the half century. Or both.

When Freds ride together they yell at every obstacle on the road instead of pointing it out.


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## 10ae1203 (Jan 14, 2007)

Thanks.


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## KATZRKOL (Mar 4, 2004)

*Good job!*



ericm979 said:


> A fred is the guy with the reflectors still on his bike who can't ride a straight line.
> 
> A fred will suck your wheel as you pass at the end of a hard 80 mile ride, sprint to "beat" you to the next light, and then turn off so you can't pass him again.
> 
> ...



I don't have anything to add for a change.


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## balzaccom (Oct 11, 2006)

A fred is someone whose equipment isn't as good as yours, and is slower than you. 

If he is faster than you, you are a poseur. 

PW


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## John Nelson (Mar 10, 2006)

You searched and got nothing?!?!?!?!?

Last time somebody asked this exact question, and it gets asked a lot, it got 93 replies!

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=73377


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## Guest (Feb 16, 2007)

Normally seen on Treks.


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## Fsharp3 (Aug 30, 2005)

I checked that last thread and it made me sad. Looks like I'm a fred (in appearance at least). I'm riding on a bike from performance, with a performance water bottle, patch kit & CO2. My shorts don't say performance on them and I don't even have a Jersey (a white t-shirt works just fine for me) and the reflectors are still on my bike. Should I take the reflector off? Am I fred or just a poor N00b? I'm certainly not sprinting past anybody at the end of any of my rides.


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## Jesse D Smith (Jun 11, 2005)

*It worked!*



MB1 said:


> Folks trying to feel superior to others should look in the mirror.


I took your advice and it worked. I took a long look in the mirror and what I saw made me feel quite superior to everyone else. ; )


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## stuck (Sep 17, 2005)

Fsharp3 said:


> I checked that last thread and it made me sad. Looks like I'm a fred (in appearance at least). I'm riding on a bike from performance, with a performance water bottle, patch kit & CO2. My shorts don't say performance on them and I don't even have a Jersey (a white t-shirt works just fine for me) and the reflectors are still on my bike. Should I take the reflector off? Am I fred or just a poor N00b? I'm certainly not sprinting past anybody at the end of any of my rides.


Do you like to ride? Can you pedal your bike and not fall over too much? Who cares about the other stuff, if you're out on your bike having a good time, getting some fresh air and exercise, that's all that matters. Most of the people calling other riders freds are poseurs anyway.

And yeah, the first thing anyone who sees me out riding around would think is "wow, what a fred."


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## KATZRKOL (Mar 4, 2004)

*All that matters is. .*



Fsharp3 said:


> Am I fred or just a poor N00b? I'm certainly not sprinting past anybody at the end of any of my rides.


is you're out there charging! Don't worry about it. It's silly. To show you how goofy some "cyclists" are, I've waived (hands on bars) to more than one goofball, only to have them ignore me. I presume because I'm on my Colnago C50.


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

Fsharp3 said:


> I checked that last thread and it made me sad. Looks like I'm a fred (in appearance at least). I'm riding on a bike from performance, with a performance water bottle, patch kit & CO2. My shorts don't say performance on them and I don't even have a Jersey (a white t-shirt works just fine for me) and the reflectors are still on my bike. Should I take the reflector off? Am I fred or just a poor N00b? I'm certainly not sprinting past anybody at the end of any of my rides.


Congratulations, and welcome to the proud ranks of Team Fred.

Removing your reflectors will constitute a flagrant violation of Team Fred rules, and will result in immediate banning from the team. For some strange reason, racers loathe the concept of night-time visibility. Go figure.

Should you want to become an "Elite" member of Team Fred, you will have to install a mirror on your helmet, which should be a "Bell Biker" from 1978 if possible. This will cause virtually everyone in the racing crowd to sneer at you. It will also allow you to instantaneously check to see if a car or bike in approaching you from the rear. For some strange reason, racers abhor the ability to see behind yourself.

You may want to set your sites on becoming a "Super Elite" member of Team Fred. To do this, you must be able to regularly speed past racers while riding a bicycle that looks much like this:










(https://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2006/cc122-forbesbagatelleb0506.html)

Preferably, you should be wearing Converse All Stars while passing any racers. Cut-off blue jean shorts are also encouraged. You get bonus points if you pull up alongside one of the racers as you are passing them and say, "Don't you get uncomfortable riding a bike that makes you scrunch over like that?"

If you have any further questions on membership requirements, please do not hesitate to ask.

Sincerely,

Forbes Bagatelle-Black
Recruitment Coordinator, Team Fred


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## HardCharger (Nov 26, 2006)

*Just what I needed...*

^^^^^
That (last) post really made me laugh. Thanks for sharing those important rules!


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## dukeryder (Feb 12, 2007)

Hahaha I never heard the Term "Fred" in my life until going on these Bike Boards doing research for the last few days.

I think I was definetly a "Fred" back in the day (now I'm just a lazy office worker who hasn't gotten his MTB out in waaay too long). I entered a cycle race when I was either in Middle or early High School I was on Mtn Bike and I remember counting the race bikes I passed in the race, I gave up after 50. That felt GOOOOD, I didn't come close to winning or anything like that and it wasn't a serious cycle race, just a local annual race where I grew up. I was really into biking, but wasn't a snob about it, had sweet BMX, a decent MTB and an old Bianchi Roadie (pulled out of a Frat House Dumpster that my Dad put some new tires and cables on). I rode the MTB into the ground than resorted to the BMX to commute 15mile on when needed and when that got stolen I resorted to the Bianchi which got through until college.


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## dukeryder (Feb 12, 2007)

It really is a stupid term though, I bet if some of those bike Snobs saw my Uncle (well he's my Gramps Cousin) they'd call him a Fred, but I bet he's got more Miles on his 1970s Raleigh Touring bike than most racer types have on the car their bike sits under. He used to ride up to my Grandparents every summer for a couple weeks (Warwick RI to 'hamp MA) every summer until he was 65yrs old! He started to take the bus in his later years (only for trips of any great distance though). Guy never learned to drive and biked everywhere, he's a Brother so it's part of his vows to live in poverty.


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

*Funny Fred Thread Over at Bike Forums*

It takes some gumption to call Kent Petersen a Fred (or maybe it just takes ignorance...):

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=269777

- FBB


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## GreenKLR (Feb 11, 2007)

Just like in the motorcycle world. Every sport has their "Freds"
LJ


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## j__h (Jun 16, 2006)

fbagatelleblack said:


> It takes some gumption to call Kent Petersen a Fred (or maybe it just takes ignorance...):
> 
> http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=269777
> 
> - FBB


I officially laughed my ass off at that thread.


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## glenk (May 26, 2005)

Fsharp3 said:


> I checked that last thread and it made me sad. Looks like I'm a fred (in appearance at least). I'm riding on a bike from performance, with a performance water bottle, patch kit & CO2. My shorts don't say performance on them and I don't even have a Jersey (a white t-shirt works just fine for me) and the reflectors are still on my bike. Should I take the reflector off? Am I fred or just a poor N00b? I'm certainly not sprinting past anybody at the end of any of my rides.


I look like you, so I must look like a Fred as well. My commuter's frame is steel with a rack and I use platforms. Many riders pass me on the flats but I kick their ass on ascents. That's Fred payback.

The rear and pedal reflectors come in handy at night but just added weight and Fred if you only ride during the day. Wheel reflectors are a bit much Fred, especially the newer ones that cross four spokes. 

glenk


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