Originally Posted by
GeraldF
Shifting the convo away from the 50 pound Dutch bike, but keeping with my original statement about chain cases and dynamo lights, I have this to say:
Does it not make sense to have chain cases (or at least chain guards for the top half of the chain) and dynamo lights on ALL commuting/utility bikes? This can include road bikes and single speed bikes. The idea is that people biking to work or the grocery store won't have to roll up their pant legs or carry around straps for their pants. Similarly, regarding lights, is it not more convenient to not have to remove lights every time you park your bike? Imagine if you had to strap your pants and remove/attach right and left-turn blinkers from a car every single time you used your car. That would be highly annoying.
Many bike shops I walk into have dozens of high end road bikes, perhaps some folders and mountain bikes. Then they have one or two models that have fenders and a rack. Hardly any bike shops, even in urban areas in the U.S, can accommodate a customer who wants to purchase a new bike with a chain case or dynamo lights.
My frustration is coming from the fact that I live in a city (Washington, DC). BTW, the average trip distance for Capital Bikeshare users is only 1.4 miles. That says something about the needs of utility cyclists in cities.
I think it would be great if more bike shops carried bikes that have the features you describe. Do I think all commuting/utility bikes should come with chain cases and dynamos, - even road bikes and single speeds? Definitely not.
I'm a subscriber to our local bike share system and I love it. It's great if I want to get from one part of downtown to another and don't want to worry about locking my own bike up someplace. I think the bikes are decently equipped for their intended purpose. However I have no desire to own a bike like that nor ride one for anything other than a short trip.
Since you used a car analogy, I'll give you another. People drive all kinds of vehicles from pickups to sports cars to minivans. Some chose a vehicle based on what's most practical. Others might be willing to give up some convenience features in exchange for something they see as more fun to drive. Others still may prefer to elect to do without certain conveniences to save money.
I live in a city too but I prefer sportier bikes. My commute is 6 miles but I like to take the long way home once in awhile. Maybe go 10, 15, or 20 miles. Sometimes I do group rides right after work which might be as long as 40. A Breezer style bike isn't a good choice for me.