I bike commute 4-5 days a week and regularly see 4 other commuters from my work. I've never actually seen them at work but I know they're coworkers because I work on a penninsula that's a navy base. Where else would they be going? There's only one road. We have engaged in small talk about bikes or traffic but no specifics. I'm 31 but the other commuters I have met are 45-55. Yes, most of them pass me. All of my cager coworkers think I'm nuts (or have a DUI).

Halfway along my commute in a residential area is a small, private university. I used to see a big kid (18 or 19 yrs old student) puffing away on an x-mart type full-suspension mtn bike on his way to class. He had it in an impossible gear considering it's 5 miles uphill. He was always in the big ring and small cog and doing about 7-9 mph. I tried talking to him about shifting to the middle ring and bigger cog, and spinning as opposed to mashing, but he didn't seem very receptive to advice. Don't see him anymore so he probably got a car.