About a month ago I bought a Linus mixte 8 because I hadn't ridden a bike regularly since I was a kid, I wanted something moderately upright, I liked the style, and I liked that it had a chromoly steel frame and 8 speed hub that I could shift while stopped at intersections. Oh, and it was on sale.
Since getting it I've commuted a hilly 7 miles each way to work a few times. I feel a little silly on it sometimes because it does tend to stand out with its sea green paint and fenders. Most commuters in DC seem to be on road bikes. And they are much faster than me, naturally, because they're in better shape, they know what they're doing, and their bikes are probably faster/lighter. But the Linus bike itself is fun to ride, feels smooth and fast when I try to make it go fast (which isn't that often).
Yesterday I got right hooked by a car while I was riding in DC. I was forced off the road, and no damage to the bike except the stem was pushed to the side and the wheel was put out of true. No scratches even, even though we collided with the car. The bike shop fixed it for me and I rode home. The bike shop guy told me he wasn't really a fan of Linus bikes bc they are more for just around town riding, not really for commuting.
This seems to be a common mindset from what I've read about Linus. Maybe part of it is that the marketing is geared more toward relaxed short trips. But am I really missing out on something by commuting on it and not on a different bike? I don't see why it wouldn't be able to handle commutes and longer rides. It weighs about 33 pounds. Is that freakishly heavy? What am I missing.