Originally Posted by bostontrevor
I wasn't aware that there was one right answer to this question. I had mistakenly thought it was a matter of what a given person enjoys and finds to work for them. I be sure to file this away for future reference, chief.
Whatever.
Personally, I don't get your fetish for trekking bikes, but that's your thing, so cool. Ride on.
-Trevor, who has commuted on hybrids, mountain bikes, road bikes, single speeds, but prefers a fixed gear for speed, responsiveness, and--yes--comfort.
Perhaps you missed the beginning of this thread when a poster was criticized for only providing his wife an "unworthy" bicycle for commuting a flat 4 miles in Philadelphia during the public transit strike. And that the use of such a comical bicycle would induce scorn and/or laughter from those who appreciate and use "worthy" bicycles.
My point: the bike types laughed/sneered at by some (maybe most) "experts" may be the most suitable for the actual task. Conversely, those bicycles designed for sporting events and specialized competitions may be least suitable for city cycling; especially for beginners/non-club-type enthusiasts considering bicycling as an alternate way to commute during (and possibly after) the strike.
The use of esoteric competition bikes for routine city cycling may be good for stroking ego and impressing a relative few bicycling aficionados, but I wouldn't know.