How to be a Fred?

[pooks]

Didn't know whether to put this in humor or new riders so put it here.

Um, yeah, moving right along....

There's a very long, fun thread on bikejournal about being a Fred. Now everybody is admitting to their "Fredness" and there's even a Team Fred.

I feel ill-prepared to define "being a Fred" here, but it did bring up a lot of things that I realized I wanted to know more about.

So, for fun AND for education, could y'all give a girl's definition of a Fred?

And to start with a specific question -- a couple of things that were mentioned were "white cotton socks" and "wearing an Aerohelmet to a group ride."

'Splain, please?

Thanks!

Oh, by the way -- in all fairness the only thing people really seemed to find problematical is wearing event jerseys for events you didn't ride. Beyond that, all the finger-pointing/defining seemed to be "in fun." But still, I'd like to be in on the joke? Thanks!

[Veronica]

An Aerohelmet is what the pros wear when they are doing a time trial. Maybe everyone who races time trials wears them - I don't know. So wearing one to a group ride would not be cool, unless you're doing a team time trial.

The deal with the socks - I don't know - maybe they just look funny to some people. It looks funny - so let's give it a derogatory name and poke fun. Whatever.

V.

[Eden]

I think the white cotton socks thing is talking about wearing regular white cotton knee socks - pulled all of the way up to the knee of course.

[pooks]

Oh yeah, that would be it with the socks. They did mention "chain tattoos" on white socks, which would mean the socks would be high on the calf, right?

I bought wicking athletic socks that are low on the ankle. Close one!

And I guess I'm okay with my helmet. I chose it because for the price, it seemed to have the best ventilation. It's a MTB helmet, I was told, but I didn't care about that.

So is it okay to coordinate socks, shorts, jerseys or does that make you look like the equivalent of a "snow bunny?"

[Veronica]

Wear what you like and is comfortable.

If you feel like coordinating - go ahead, but don't feel compelled if it's not you.

I've been on a pink thing lately. Pink helmet, I almost bought some pink sunglasses in Utah. I just bought rose colored mountain biking shoes... but I wear it all on an orange bike, which right now has totally mismatched wheels. The rear tire is a 27 and is rainbow colored. The front is still one of my "go fast" wheels with a 23.

Just ride.

V.

[DrBee]

I'm with you on this one Veronica. Just dress how you want and ride.

If you want a full dose of endless descriptions and critiques of Fredness, go to bikeforums. It comes up frequently over there.

[pooks]

Thanks -- I don't mind bucking the trends and blazing my own trail. I just prefer to know when I'm doing it.

You know how it goes -- you decide to wear jeans to a party even though you know most people will be biz-casual, is different than doing it unawares!

[Duck on Wheels]

Thanks -- I don't mind bucking the trends and blazing my own trail. I just prefer to know when I'm doing it.

You know how it goes -- you decide to wear jeans to a party even though you know most people will be biz-casual, is different than doing it unawares!

Exakkly. And since my dream is to be a Fredwina Athena, it's good to know how to do it. The Fredwina part is readily achievable, I think. Athena takes some work, since it means keeping up on the road in spite of the extra pounds. I passed a woman today who was having an Athena workout -- of goddess-like dimensions, AND hauling her 3-year-old in a trailer, AND spinning up hills into the wind. When I finally caught up with her, instead of calling out "on your left" I puffed and said "I'm having enough trouble pulling just myself into this wind." "Thanks!" she replied, "Now I don't feel so bad." Glad I could be of encouragement.

[Quillfred]

Ahemmm

Let's just say "many are called but few are chosen".