Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
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.
While I agree that, in principle, the bike in question is far better suited to practical tansportation than nearly anything available on the American market, the OP explained that the "comical" appearance while riding and unsuitability for the commute stemmed from a grossly low gear ratio, which he is working to fix. Would you rather have the OP's wife struggle along as if stuck in the low gear of a multispeed bike? I should think a bunch more gear-inches to be ia huge improvement.
I'd have to assume that the OP's purchase of the bike, along with his wife's fondness for it, show that its good qualities are appreciated. Personally, I think it is great to see a picture of something that looks like a real bike.
Paul