Fred or Fabio?

Ever heard these terms when on the bike or around bicycle heads? I can't stand it, I have to say. I just want to weigh in on this subject for a moment; but if you aren't sure what this is about let me just summarize with my own interpretation:

Fred: someone new, unskilled, or uncool when on the bike.

Fabio: someone very cool on the bike, too cool, but always looking good, talking good. This person is usually a strong rider, but not always.

I learned about this not from personal experience but by reading about it in Bicycling Magazine. I have to rip on them for just a moment now. This is a cycling publication who, it seems to me, should be doing everything to advocate bicycling, bike riding, and all its forms in every conceivable way. The reality is, of course, that sales of ads and mags probably depends on a certain amount of snobbery and what I call the Mountain Dew factor. You know, that young punk skate dude(ette) who can do anything on a bike/board, etc. Bicycling has published articles whereby a journalist goes on a tour, probably gratis from the operator, and comes back and writes a story that is mostly positive except for 1 thing: being on a bicycle tour is equivalent to being a Fred! You see, only Fred's would pay to travel by bike, and would pay to ride a hybrid bike rental, and pay to ride a relatively short distance in a day.

This was in a story published a few years ago about a Backroads bike trip. (I searched but couldn't find the article in the Bicycling online archives.) Since, I've seen stories or short items and regular zingers that reinforce the Fred/Fabio cyclist titles. Now, we do advertise in Bicycling because it does so far still pay for itself, but barely. I would like to believe that readers are mostly not buying into this crap, but wait, I'm not sure. Since road cycling has really grown in recent years, I've heard more often derogatory references to Freds.


Lets get something straight: you as a cyclists are only as good as your legs and lungs. Things like diet and your training only improve upon these. Whether you shave your legs, wear your glasses on the inside or outside of your helmet straps, waive at other cyclists or not, etc - these things change nothing about you as a cyclist. It might make you more of an asshole, but not a better or cooler cyclist. I guess you can tell that I'm defending Freds!

I personally love to show up at club rides or event rides and drop the Fabios like a bad habit. So, yea, I'm probably a Fred: hairy legs and all. The best riders I know, the ones who kick my ass, are not Fabios either. I find that most Fabios are the people with all the gear, nice bikes, like to talk gearhead stuff on the rides, but you often lose them on the first hill.

The point of all this? I'm not sure; I'm just ranting. But, one thing for sure is that all Freds are welcome on our tours. They are the best clients. They enjoy cycling for the fun of what it does for them, and they aren't bothered with the other stuff. Fabios can come too, if you drop the attitude and learn that all bicyclists have something to offer for the advancement of the sport.

LT