Pax Bicicletta?

The other day I saw something that made me smile: It was a guy on a really slick road bike, completely kitted out in bright, logo-covered lycra... with a DIY plastic bottle fender duct-taped to his bike.

For most roadies this is nothing short of a travesty. I often often see roadies with no fenders and lycra shorts, riding in rainy weather. I don't have fenders on my road bike either, but I always cover my legs in foul weather and my knees in temps below 70 degrees.

I also sometimes ride with a CamelBak, but I learned that roadies aren't supposed to do this- they just use bottles. I still choose to ride with a CamelBak on some long rides, or if it's really hot, because I know I'll drink more, and I'd rather risk looking geeky than be dehydrated. I encourage newer cyclists to use one if they aren't comfortable grabbing for their water bottles.

So why is a CamelBak geeky anyway? I've learned a lot of things can be geeky while you're on a road bike (according to the racer wannabes). The term for said geekiness is "Fred." You're a Fred if you have a lot of utilitarian gadgets on your bike, like racks, fenders, mirrors, etc. (though IMO the coolest thing I've seen is on the bike of a cyclist I really respect- a cycling glove attached to his top tube and used to hold energy bars!) I guess it must take away from that cool racing look, and of course adds too much weight. You're also a Fred if you still have that little plastic visor attached to the front of your bike helmet. It's okay for mountain bikers, but not roadies!

I don't get it. I don't pay much attention to what someone is wearing or has attached to his or her bike, unless it's something I might want myself. The things I do notice are if someone is riding like an a-hole and passing dangerously, blowing through stops, or riding on my wheel without letting me know.

My husband used to live next door to a bike messenger. One day he was heading off to work on his early 80's Peugeot road bike, wearing regular clothes and shoes. His neighbor saw him and said, "Dude, you look like a commuter."

So looking like a bike commuter is a bad thing? I thought that any cyclist would be happy to see other people on bikes? I know that each cycling culture has it's own style and ways, but I try to embrace anybody on a bike. When I'm out on the road, I give a wave or a head nod, and usually get one in return, but every now and then I get the grim stare (as a side note, my husband says that when he's on his motorcycle, the Harley guys are the only ones who never wave back).

With bike culture on the rise, I'd like to think we're all doing this unified thing, but sadly, the divisions are out there.

You might be a Fred, and so what?

photo from http://www.sdrecyclers.org/