Originally Posted by fat_bike_nut

I haven't gone car-free yet but I've been trying to do as many errands by bicycle as I can (going to the bank, buying groceries, etc.).

I have a touring bike (2010 Surly Long Haul Trucker, 54 cm size with 26" wheels) and a folding bike (2011 Bike Friday New World Tourist). The folding bike's build was based off of the geometry and fit of the touring bike. However, my folding bike is a lot more "zippy" and agile in comparison to the LHT. I can definitely tell that it accelerates faster, maneuvers around obstacles better, and is a lot harder to ride no-handed. It also feels like it'll snap like a twig if I push it too hard, so I'm more careful around potholes than I am with the Surly.

The Surly Long Haul Trucker has been a great utility bike for me, and it would be the one I'd go with if I am ever able to go car-free. It's a tank, it takes a lot of crap, it has stable/predictable handling, it can equip some pretty wide tires in a common size (26"), it can handle a lot of luggage weight with front and rear racks, it can mount fenders, it has mountain bike-y gearing for tackling hill climbs, and well, it's designed primarily for touring. It's not my favorite bike in the whole world (I like bikes with more agility and peppiness), but it would make for an ideal car-free bike.