Anyone make fun of you?

[GraysonKelly]

Cycling has given me so much more confidence in myself and silenced a lot of the negative voices in my head. I don't really get made fun of, until people find out that I named my bikes. Anyway, there so much crap that I get for many other things, especially from my family, but I just keep riding. Like it said, it silences those voices. My coworkers make comments about the changes in my body and are awed that I ride where and how much I do, but they're really cool with it. I've even started advising some of them on what kind of bikes to get and where to start riding so they can get comfortable on their new bikes. That's a great feeling.
My sister and my mother, the most critical people I have ever met, really don't understand. My sister pokes fun because she thinks it's ridiculous that I put on this huge helmet and tighter clothes and ride for miles and miles and keep track of it on a bike computer. My mom is just critical of how my body is changing. She's been trying to get to me to turn into a stick person for years and while she thinks I look good, she thinks that I'm getting too many muscles blah blah. Like I said, I just ride to quiet the voices. And I love it so I don't really worry about it. I get made fun of more from other riders who don't like the fact that I was riding on the road with my mountain bike or because I don't have bike shorts yet or proper cycling shoes.
I jsut like to ride.
Don't listen to the voices. just enjoy yourself. It's a lot of fun.
Gray

[tennisgirl43]

My husband works at a papermill that's about a 10 mile bike ride from our house. Occasionally, he'll cycle to work and is ridiculed mercilessly. Of course, those who ridicule him are overweight and in bad health, and he is 5'8" tall, 150 lbs....hmmmm.....

He gets remarks like "Why are you trying to lose weight? You're skinny already" (He's not trying to lose weight) He generally tells them it's about his health. But still, he gets a lot of negative comments.

My 10 year old son just started riding his bike to school - less than a mile from us. He was afraid of being teased about wearing his helmet b/c "no one else ever does". Fortunately, the example of my hubby and me ALWAYS wearing our helmets, and telling him that pro cyclists always wear them, too, helped convince him. Oh, and telling him that actually, in Georgia it's a law for kids to wear a helmet and all those kids who aren't are breaking the law...he's all about being "legal" lol!!

Anyway, they get made fun of, but they keep cycling. So, good for them!

[surgtech1956]

Yes, I'm the ODD(or strange) one in my department at work, imagine what out of 60 people. Lets see, because, I ride a bike, kayak, do woodworking, have 7 cats & 2 dogs, ride a motorcycle and I'm gay. I guess I'm use to it, doesn't bother me, I do my own thing and I'm my own person.

[Susan126]

Quite the opposite concerning my family. My sisters were always amazed, jealous, in awe and now one and now the other bought bikes and are trying to get into cycling. I am now getting emails, phone calls, and messages on my home phone, cell phone, and computer on subjects as varied as "saddles", "what type of bike is right for me", "how do I find good roads/trails in my area", "how do you work up to 20, 30, 50, 100 miles", "when you come visit me we will have to go riding together", and from my sister in Iowa . . . maybe some day we could do the RAGRAI together! What have I created?!!!