Am I a Whiner?

[Triskeliongirl]

I'm with bluetree on this. These are *young men*, right? You are a *young women*. Sometimes this is just how guys this age act. To me it sounds like they are treating you like one of them, a sign of acceptance/respect even if it doesn't always feel that way. Go to that velodrome and have a great time!

[beccaB]

Hoping not to step on any toes here- I work with a bunch of middle American union hillbillies who think riding a bike at all is ridiculous. One guy's abdomen is bigger than mine when I was 9 and a half months pregnant.! So, I don't really care what they think!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

As those boys get older they will become less foolish.
As you get older you will not be bothered so much by their immature comments- you won't care so much about what others might think of you, what you think about yourself will become more important.
In the meantime however, listen to Bluetree's words of wisdom.

[kermit]

I think deep down they are intimidated by you. I work in a unit of guys and yeah always get picked on. Although I can dish it out when I need to. They tease the ones they like. If they completely ignored you then I'd worry. You are a threat to the machoness of the boys bike club. Since you've been invtited to the velo it sounds like your in, just don't take the crap. If someone says something you don't like, give it right back. Remind them when they get too cocky that they are not perfect. Have fun with them. It's cool to be independent and different, enjoy it.

[indigoiis]

Here is what I say to my daughter when she starts worrying what her mates are thinking of her:

Most of the time people are so worried about what everyone else is thinking that they really aren't spending a whole heck of a lot of time thinking about you.

Or, to put it bluntly: honey, the girls aren't looking at your butt, they're too worried about what everyone is thinking about their own!

It sounds like you get some ribbing.
Take it for what it is - ribbing.

I think, knowing guys, they probably think it's pretty cool that you tore your bike up yourself and put it back together, and that you're not buying in / selling out, and that you're trying to do something good for your body. That's admirable!

And also, knowing guys, they generally only rib the girls they feel the most comfortable with. It's a form of flirting. Take it as a compliment.