Normally the negative comments I get are from drivers, usually in a pickup truck. Other cyclists are usually a bit nicer to me, though there are the occasional exceptions.

About 5 years ago on a local bike shop ride, there was one guy with a very nice Campy & carbon (forget the brand) $10,000 bike. I, on the other hand, rode an entry level aluminum Sora equiped Trek 1000. You could pretty much just smell the contempt and derision sweating out of his pores. Despite being a pretty friendly bunch of riders, he barely even acknowledged me. I made it a special point to show that it's not always the bike and crushed him everytime we had a chance for a sprint or hill climb.

After about a month of twice a week rides and doing this.....he stopped ignoring me and became friendlier, commenting on how fast he thought I'd be with a higher end bike.

I still have that Trek and put plenty of miles on it.

OP, it was I who yelled, "Nice antique, papaw!". It was a sincere compliment as I really dug your Schwinn. The other guys were, indeed, snickering and I apologize on their behalf. Happy riding to you!

Thanks for finally confessing Colonel. They say you always feel better afterwards. To those who commented about my friend being dropped... had he told me his intent of riding with them, I would have advised against it. His riding needs/desires (training for a long recreational ride) didn't match their training for races and such. That being the case, they should have just been up front with him in the first place.

Any of the younger riders around here would surely know better, being as there is some VERY fast company in the 55+ age group.
It would be hugely embarrasing if the wise-ass was to then get dropped for any reason.

And the rides here which have racers and casual/social riders assembling at the same start time/place are neatly segregated, with slightly different departures so that people don't lose track of which group they are riding with. The faster guys/gals almost always ride further, and the idea is usually that all might arrive back around the same time.

But I think such a comment would usually yield a good joking back-and-forth for all the possible entertainment, and all in good spirit.

I at 52yrs would have probably taken it as a compliment, and I don't mind the attention. The old bikes really get noticed these days, but not everyone says anything. Some sort of resent it, like I didn't spend enough to support our shops(?), while others seem hugely amused that a rider on an old, stock-looking bike can hang with the carbon crowd. Riders seem very divided this way.
As far as clothing, I wear bike apparel on group rides because it allows following riders in the pack as little visual obstruction as possible.
Off road, I usually use trousers when it's cooler, for greater warmth and protection.

A simple "Blow me" would suffice.

Seypat - that is classic! I enjoyed reading your post, and had a huge grin on my face the whole time.

I actually like being in the small ring and spinning along while these Cat. 3 guys are mashing their big rings. There have been a few times I have pedaled along some modern wannabe's and asked what do they use when going downhill? As they are in the a 53 x 13 or higher while moving along the flats, while I am spinning a 42 x 17. (sometimes a 42 x 16, depends on the bike).

Glad some of you enjoyed the story! I just looked up Maynard Herschon and will pick up his book to read over the rest of the winter. Repechage's point above about mashing in the big ring is exactly what made me think I could drop that group. They were all about being on the biggest gear they could turn at the slowest cadence possible.

Of course, in the old days, you could simply pull alongside the lead guy, reach down, and push his left shifter all the way forward, then drop the hammer

I prefer sticking my frame pump into his wheel.