They Laughed at Me for Riding a Bike. I’m Glad I Didn’t Quit.

Last Updated: April 19, 2026

Older male road cyclist stopped beside a silver car at a red light near Texas Tech while a smiling college-age woman talks to him through the passenger window.

Quick Take:
Years ago, strangers laughed at me while I was overweight and riding a bicycle trying to improve my life. Recently, at that same stoplight, a young woman rolled down her window and asked if I was single because she thought I’d be perfect for her mom. The real lesson is not about insults or compliments. It is about focusing on what is best for you and refusing to let strangers shape your future.

The other day I pulled up to a stop sign on a training ride near Texas Tech campus here in Lubbock.

A young woman in a car beside me rolled down her window and asked:

“Are you single? You’d be perfect for my mom.”

I had to laugh.

She looked to be around 20 years old, and at age 70, I’m thinking I’d probably be more perfect for her grandmother.

Still, it was funny, unexpected, and kind.

But what really hit me was not the compliment.

It was the memory of something that happened years earlier in that same area.

When I Was Heavy and Just Starting

Back when I was first trying to get in shape through cycling, I was carrying extra weight and still figuring things out.

I rolled up to that same light on my bike, and a car full of young people rolled down their window and laughed at me.

One of them said something like:

“Your tire’s gonna go flat.”

They thought it was hilarious.

Now sure, nobody enjoys being mocked. But even then, I understood something important:

Their opinion had nothing to do with my future.

I was the one trying to improve my health. I was the one doing the work. I was the one taking the first hard steps.

That mattered more than anything shouted from a passing car.

If This Post Makes You Want to Ride Again

Starting or returning to cycling is easier when you’re comfortable and protected from the start. These are three of the smartest beginner upgrades I’d recommend first.

Comfortable Helmet – safety always comes first. This is the helmet I wear.
Padded Cycling Shorts – makes riding far more enjoyable. I wear Przewalski shorts because I prefer a thinner pad but others are available too.
Cycling Gloves – helps reduce pressure and hand fatigue. I wear HTZPLOO golves but there are many options available.

See all the gear I personally use.

I Don’t Live by Other People’s Opinions

One thing age teaches you is this:

People will judge no matter what.

Too heavy
Too old
Too slow
Too serious
Too different

Then if you improve yourself, some of those same people suddenly approve.

That is why I do not put much value in outside opinions, whether they are negative or flattering.

I try to focus on what is best for me.

That mindset has served me far better than chasing approval ever could.

What Actually Changed

I kept riding.

I stacked rides.

I got fitter.

I became stronger physically and mentally.

I turned into the kind of rider I once hoped I could become.

So when someone complimented me years later, I took it as a funny moment and kept pedaling.

Because compliments do not define me any more than insults did.

The work did.

If You’re Nervous to Start

Maybe you want to lose weight.

Maybe you want to start cycling.

Maybe you want to get healthy again, but you’re worried what people might think.

Here is my honest advice:

Do what is best for you anyway.

Most people are too busy thinking about themselves to think much about you.

And the few who judge do not get a vote in your life.

Final Thought

Years ago, some people laughed.

Recently, someone complimented me.

Neither one matters much.

What matters is that I kept doing what was best for me.

If you are trying to improve your life, I hope you do the same.

The Old Guy Bicycle Blog
Real riding. Real aging. Real lessons learned the hard way.

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The Old Guy Bicycle Blog