Why Are We Called Freds?

wrote: (clip)may well be what's called a
back-formation, the etymologist's phrase for an awfully good story that
fits known facts.(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You mean the story may be apocryfred?

wrote: (clip)may well be what's called a
back-formation, the etymologist's phrase for an awfully good story that
fits known facts.(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You mean the story may be apocryfred?

said...

Etymology, please. Why are riders like me called Freds?

Fred Fogel

I thought Freds were pretentious wannabes who bought all the best
equipment to look good, but didn't ride very much or very well. Doesn't
sound like you, from what I have seen of your posts. I always assumed
the name was used because it brings to mind uninteresting, middle-aged,
middle class men with disposable income, but little natural athletic
ability. But then there are the Barney's of the MTB world. Fred and
Barney. Coincidence or design?

said...

Etymology, please. Why are riders like me called Freds?

Fred Fogel

I thought Freds were pretentious wannabes who bought all the best
equipment to look good, but didn't ride very much or very well. Doesn't
sound like you, from what I have seen of your posts. I always assumed
the name was used because it brings to mind uninteresting, middle-aged,
middle class men with disposable income, but little natural athletic
ability. But then there are the Barney's of the MTB world. Fred and
Barney. Coincidence or design?

said...

Etymology, please. Why are riders like me called Freds?

Fred Fogel

I thought Freds were pretentious wannabes who bought all the best
equipment to look good, but didn't ride very much or very well. Doesn't
sound like you, from what I have seen of your posts. I always assumed
the name was used because it brings to mind uninteresting, middle-aged,
middle class men with disposable income, but little natural athletic
ability. But then there are the Barney's of the MTB world. Fred and
Barney. Coincidence or design?

SuperSlinky wrote in message et...

I thought Freds were pretentious wannabes who bought all the best
equipment to look good, but didn't ride very much or very well.

The folks you refer to are poseurs not Freds.

I remember "Fred" refering to someone who rode their bike and just
didn't care what anyone thought.

To me the best example of Fredness was the time I repaired a Fred's
bike. He looked over his bill and noticed 2 x $.35 clips. He asked
what they were. I pointed out 3 clips we installed to hold the
cables down. He said he didn't want them and asked us to remove
them and subtract it from his bill; he had some electrical tape
at home that he'd use to hold them down. He didn't care if we
thought he was a cheapskate or if his bike looked amateur; he had
a cheaper solution.

Another fred customer of mine rode an old Free Spirit bike but was
putting ~200 miles/week on it. We kept him going using cheap or
used parts for quite a while always telling him that his bike just
wasn't designed for such heavy use. Finally the frame seperated so
he came in to buy a new bike from us. We tried to steer him toward
a quality bike but he insisted on a bottom of the line bike with
heavy steel rims. It had a lifetime waranty and no doubt he kept
his receipt so I wonder how many replacement frames he received in
the 20 or so years since I sold it to him.

Most Freds just rode for transportation but a few would show up on
group rides, often on cheap bikes with improvised equipment like
helmets fashioned from construction hard hats with holes for
ventilation or repairs completed with bailing wire, duct tape,
or nylon cable ties. Somehow Freds managed to enjoy the rides more than
most of the cyclists who invested $thousands on their bike and gear.

While we made fun of Freds we all had a quiet admiration for them.
Freds actually rode their bikes. Since their bicycle was most Fred's
transportation we would try to do their repairs while they waited or
we would stay late to get their bike done on-time. Poseurs rarely got
such preferential treatment even though they spent a lot more money.

Before I owned a car I had a bike that looked very Fred. It had folding
wire baskets and was assembled from scrounged parts. It looked like
Hell but it actually rode pretty well even with the baskets. I was
racing back then so I was in good shape so one of my favorite activities
was chasing down a poseur then after catching them turing and saying
"nice day for a ride, eh?" them leaving them. Ah yes, embrace your
inner Fred.
--
Bruce Jackson

SuperSlinky wrote in message et...

I thought Freds were pretentious wannabes who bought all the best
equipment to look good, but didn't ride very much or very well.

The folks you refer to are poseurs not Freds.

I remember "Fred" refering to someone who rode their bike and just
didn't care what anyone thought.

To me the best example of Fredness was the time I repaired a Fred's
bike. He looked over his bill and noticed 2 x $.35 clips. He asked
what they were. I pointed out 3 clips we installed to hold the
cables down. He said he didn't want them and asked us to remove
them and subtract it from his bill; he had some electrical tape
at home that he'd use to hold them down. He didn't care if we
thought he was a cheapskate or if his bike looked amateur; he had
a cheaper solution.

Another fred customer of mine rode an old Free Spirit bike but was
putting ~200 miles/week on it. We kept him going using cheap or
used parts for quite a while always telling him that his bike just
wasn't designed for such heavy use. Finally the frame seperated so
he came in to buy a new bike from us. We tried to steer him toward
a quality bike but he insisted on a bottom of the line bike with
heavy steel rims. It had a lifetime waranty and no doubt he kept
his receipt so I wonder how many replacement frames he received in
the 20 or so years since I sold it to him.

Most Freds just rode for transportation but a few would show up on
group rides, often on cheap bikes with improvised equipment like
helmets fashioned from construction hard hats with holes for
ventilation or repairs completed with bailing wire, duct tape,
or nylon cable ties. Somehow Freds managed to enjoy the rides more than
most of the cyclists who invested $thousands on their bike and gear.

While we made fun of Freds we all had a quiet admiration for them.
Freds actually rode their bikes. Since their bicycle was most Fred's
transportation we would try to do their repairs while they waited or
we would stay late to get their bike done on-time. Poseurs rarely got
such preferential treatment even though they spent a lot more money.

Before I owned a car I had a bike that looked very Fred. It had folding
wire baskets and was assembled from scrounged parts. It looked like
Hell but it actually rode pretty well even with the baskets. I was
racing back then so I was in good shape so one of my favorite activities
was chasing down a poseur then after catching them turing and saying
"nice day for a ride, eh?" them leaving them. Ah yes, embrace your
inner Fred.
--
Bruce Jackson

SuperSlinky wrote in message et...

I thought Freds were pretentious wannabes who bought all the best
equipment to look good, but didn't ride very much or very well.

The folks you refer to are poseurs not Freds.

I remember "Fred" refering to someone who rode their bike and just
didn't care what anyone thought.

To me the best example of Fredness was the time I repaired a Fred's
bike. He looked over his bill and noticed 2 x $.35 clips. He asked
what they were. I pointed out 3 clips we installed to hold the
cables down. He said he didn't want them and asked us to remove
them and subtract it from his bill; he had some electrical tape
at home that he'd use to hold them down. He didn't care if we
thought he was a cheapskate or if his bike looked amateur; he had
a cheaper solution.

Another fred customer of mine rode an old Free Spirit bike but was
putting ~200 miles/week on it. We kept him going using cheap or
used parts for quite a while always telling him that his bike just
wasn't designed for such heavy use. Finally the frame seperated so
he came in to buy a new bike from us. We tried to steer him toward
a quality bike but he insisted on a bottom of the line bike with
heavy steel rims. It had a lifetime waranty and no doubt he kept
his receipt so I wonder how many replacement frames he received in
the 20 or so years since I sold it to him.

Most Freds just rode for transportation but a few would show up on
group rides, often on cheap bikes with improvised equipment like
helmets fashioned from construction hard hats with holes for
ventilation or repairs completed with bailing wire, duct tape,
or nylon cable ties. Somehow Freds managed to enjoy the rides more than
most of the cyclists who invested $thousands on their bike and gear.

While we made fun of Freds we all had a quiet admiration for them.
Freds actually rode their bikes. Since their bicycle was most Fred's
transportation we would try to do their repairs while they waited or
we would stay late to get their bike done on-time. Poseurs rarely got
such preferential treatment even though they spent a lot more money.

Before I owned a car I had a bike that looked very Fred. It had folding
wire baskets and was assembled from scrounged parts. It looked like
Hell but it actually rode pretty well even with the baskets. I was
racing back then so I was in good shape so one of my favorite activities
was chasing down a poseur then after catching them turing and saying
"nice day for a ride, eh?" them leaving them. Ah yes, embrace your
inner Fred.
--
Bruce Jackson

On Sun, 05 Sep 2004 09:06:29 GMT, SuperSlinky
wrote:

said...

Etymology, please. Why are riders like me called Freds?

Fred Fogel

I thought Freds were pretentious wannabes who bought all the best
equipment to look good, but didn't ride very much or very well. Doesn't
sound like you, from what I have seen of your posts.

Two words: Fury RoadMaster. (The rest of you simply aren't
pretentious enough to aspire to such heights of glory.)

I always assumed
the name was used because it brings to mind uninteresting, middle-aged,
middle class men with disposable income, but little natural athletic
ability.

Sounds like the poster describing me down at the post
office.

But then there are the Barney's of the MTB world. Fred and
Barney. Coincidence or design?

Interesting! I surmise that a Barney is not the most gifted
off-road rider.

Unbelievably, the two names may be coincidence, or at least
subconscious.

Long ago, the larger of two new basset puppies obviously
demanded to be named Barney (or so I was told in tones
dripping with feminine pity)

His brother's name, however, was not so easily determined.

Reluctantly, the dog-naming committee settled uneasily on
"Fred" and informed me of her decision, so there we were
with Barney and Fred.

It was several months before someone casually reversed the
order--"Fred and Barney"--and explained her choice.

Fred Fogel

On Sun, 05 Sep 2004 09:06:29 GMT, SuperSlinky
wrote:

said...

Etymology, please. Why are riders like me called Freds?

Fred Fogel

I thought Freds were pretentious wannabes who bought all the best
equipment to look good, but didn't ride very much or very well. Doesn't
sound like you, from what I have seen of your posts.

Two words: Fury RoadMaster. (The rest of you simply aren't
pretentious enough to aspire to such heights of glory.)

I always assumed
the name was used because it brings to mind uninteresting, middle-aged,
middle class men with disposable income, but little natural athletic
ability.

Sounds like the poster describing me down at the post
office.

But then there are the Barney's of the MTB world. Fred and
Barney. Coincidence or design?

Interesting! I surmise that a Barney is not the most gifted
off-road rider.

Unbelievably, the two names may be coincidence, or at least
subconscious.

Long ago, the larger of two new basset puppies obviously
demanded to be named Barney (or so I was told in tones
dripping with feminine pity)

His brother's name, however, was not so easily determined.

Reluctantly, the dog-naming committee settled uneasily on
"Fred" and informed me of her decision, so there we were
with Barney and Fred.

It was several months before someone casually reversed the
order--"Fred and Barney"--and explained her choice.

Fred Fogel