Originally Posted by
noglider
Down here in Manhattan, the delivery bicycle is changing fast. The riders own their bikes, and yet they see fit to buy well made bikes and keeping them in good running condition. Some are tricked out beyond utilitarian concerns. I'm not sure if the delivery guys -- and they are pretty much all men -- feel this new way is more economical.
When I was in NY this spring I was looking at a lot of the delivery bikes. There were lots of higher-end bikes. The frames were heavily masked and painted, but something like a mid-tier Specialized or Trek was common. Many had hydraulic discs and Deore or higher shifters/derailuers.
The bikes were heavily camo'ed, but plenty of these bikes would've easily been $1k+ MSRP. I was very suprised, because I was expecting to see basic components, and instead seeing lots of expensive parts.
I suspect the hydraulic discs is from needing to use the bike in poor weather. And once you're buying a bike with hydraulics, you tend to find Deore more than Acera.