Originally Posted by H_Roark
In the roadie world, other bikers' tolerance of a rider seems to be based to a large extent on the equipment they have. Someone riding a new carbon gee-gawed bike with the "appropriate" gear is more likely to be treated with respect than someone riding an older, cheaper bike. Owners of less expensive bikes are likely to be sneered at, at the very least.
A friend and I were riding down the road yesterday when another cyclist approached from the other direction. As he got closer, we could see he was wearing a heavy metal t-shirt and listening to music on headphones as he rode his huffy along the road. We both waved. He ignored us. I guess he was a snob.