A Fred (Doris for women) is a very specific term to describe a rider that doesn't conform to serious cyclist's norm for dress and equipment. Examples:

Someone that shows up on a $10,000 custom painted Trek Madone wearing a matching kit, aero helmet, power meter, etc. and can only average 12 mph over a flat 50 miler, or someone that shows up on a Panasonic Super Sport from 1986 wearing tweed shorts, a tank top, and Converse All Stars in Basket Trap pedals and pulls the pack at 20 mph into a 10 mph wind for 3 miles.

It has been around as long as reddit has existed, nearly, and should not be coopted to triathlon. Trying makes you an automatic Fred in the road cycling world.

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"...the street finds its own uses for things"

Well yes that is what I meant, I probably didnt think too look up my question (back then) in the search before posting. btw: I wish I listened to that advice about running fast repeats over the volume method I stuck with - yes it did get me down to mid 18s but then I stopped progressing. So ideally the newer thread in search results should give latest advice

I pretty much stated in my original post that I don't know what we would call triathlon "Freds". If there is already a term, let me know.

But as for cycling, I'm kind of a Fred myself. Or as I prefer to call myself, "the flat pedal heretic." I have flat pedals on all my bikes, including my tri bikes. I won't ride clipped in. People think I'm weird, and I'm OK with that.

Freds are easy to spot on the bike, greasy chain marks on the calves. Its a joke in Holland.

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This is my training.commuting.bikepacking bike and the cyclists hate it. The amount of smart ass and derogatory comments I get here on the Sunny Coast (think Noosa) from pretentious cycling wankers is incredible. Makes me love the old piece of shit CAAD8 even more. (Didn't even bother taking the racks off the last time I rolled it into an Ironman transition)

Why not Wilma, I wonder?

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

No idea. Maybe a British thing? I was a road cyclist long before I moved to this sport, and still do most of my training with the cycling club. It is just the way it is. Just like all the things a newbie will get yelled at for on a ride with the A/Open group. The pointy end of a cycling club will eat their young, and then brag about it later.

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"...the street finds its own uses for things"

That's what I figured = calling guys "Fred" started someplace where they didn't have The Flintstones

Yabba-dabba-doo!!!

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Good for you!

Welcome to Slowtwitch

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Not everything is as it seems -Mr. Miyagi