Originally Posted by
Roody
Interesting POV. Have you ever viewed the Utility Biking forum? I think that might be far more to your liking, as described in this message.
Too much emphasis on Long Trucker, Big Dummy and unusual bike configurations for my taste. Not much discussion of regular city bikes as sold everywhere in the world where people do utility cycling, except in the U.S. Maybe lately it is different but that list was too Portland Trendy for my tastes and I gave it up. Just like the 50Plus list was far too cliquish and club rider/enthusiast oriented for my tastes.
The bike manufacturers are offering more bikes useful for utility (which really is the same as commuting, without the U.S. emphasis on enthusiast panache) after decades of a utility bike drought in the U.S. Not since English three speeds and Schwinn middle weight and light weight three speeds were dropped from U.S. retail, have bike consumers been pitched a bike designed or really useful for utility.
Even today except in cycling hot spots like Portland, Seattle and some other locations my understanding is that it takes persistence and twisting of arms to get an LBS to put any bike that could pass for a utility bike on the floor for display.