For vacation a few years ago, I stayed on a large island in Belize. It's 25 miles long but substantially narrower. Cars are there but less common. Transportation is mainly golf carts and bikes.

The bike of choice? A beach cruiser. At least that's what they looked like. kids ride on the top tubes of their parent's bikes for miles. Bags are hung from handlebars. It's flat. No derailleurs, no gear hubs. Also not that many baskets, - certainly not panniers. No lights, no helmets. You might think that the lack of cars and asphalt make those less necessary, and it's true to an extent. But people drive golf carts like mad men.

Also more often than not, no chain guards or chain cases. People wear shorts a lot of the time but you'll see people in long pants on those bikes too.

I do believe that people tend to buy what they see other people get or just what's available, but I also believe that cultures manage to end up with the bikes that make sense for them. For lots of Americans, a hybrid is probably a decent choice.