I ride a very entry level hybrid, but it's served me well for 30K kilometers over the years. Just bought an entry level cyclocross bike for lighter tours. Regarding bikes in Helsinki, we have a relatively good infrastructure pretty much everywhere else except for crowded spots in downtown area. So yes, quite a few people ride their bikes for errands, utility, recreation, commuting and whatnot. As with most cities, I'd say anything shorter than 8-10 kms and bike is the fastest means of transportation here. Not necessarily in winter though.

--J