Everyone seems to be an expert

During my busy day at work today, I stopped to rest on a hill that I was climbing. As I was drinking water and catching my breath, a man rolls up in his fancy bike.

This fella started to point out all my weeknesses as I was climbing the hill and began to give me a list of things that I should change out on the Fezzari Alta Peak. Things like tire size, fork, and many others. Then he slowly pronounces the brand….”Feh…..Z…z…zz….zz…Ahhhhhhhh…..Reeeeeeee….” and quickly says to me, “Fezzari? Never heard of it!” I tried to explain who Fezzari was and how they are a great company, but then he cuts me off by getting on his expensive bike and says to me as he’s riding away…”By the way, you should switch out your rear tire to 1.9s, you don’t need big tires like those on a trail like this, besides it will help you climb better…”

I simply wave and say thanks….

I don’t know what it is, but people like that bug me. I mean, sure he’s got an expensive bike and the coolest gear. But who is this guy to provide unwarranted advice? Maybe I’m being prideful and should consider what he’s saying, but personally, if I see someone riding, I don’t criticize their bike and tell them to replace all sorts of things on it. If anything, I give simple advice like, “you might want to raise your seat up when you climb and lower it when you descend…”

It’s the same way at the gym, you get guys who don’t look like bodybuilders telling other guys how to work out or what to eat. I mean there’s value to advice and all things should be considered, but to make a quick judgment based on first impressions makes the dude giving advice look like a Mr. Know it all.

What do you think? Am I way off on this? Am I taking it too personal?