Well, here's the other side of the coin. I was living in Portland OR, and had recently become unemployed, but still had a nice Italian Bottecchia Professional that I bought during better days when I had money, or thought I did. It was my 30th birthday, I hadn't gotten any in a long long time, and I had been feeling a little down, so I polished up my bike, put on my best jersey, and went for a ride to cheer myself up.

I rode 10 or 15 miles, felt first endorphins kick in, and started to feel OK. As I approached a bike shop, a woman and her bf were walking toward the front door of the place, and I could hear the woman talking, she said something like," ...but I just don't want to end up looking like a bike snob." As I ride past she turns, points at me, and exclaims, "LIKE THAT GUY!" I was completely deflated.