Originally Posted by
Stadjer
These guys know their bikes, but these bikes aren't light at all. If I wanted to bike in London I would certainly want a fully upright position for safety and comfort, and I would certainly want fenders and a fully enclosed chaincase so it's allmost maintenance free and all wheather.
But if he's got to carry it upstairs to the 5th floor everyday, maybe a lighter bike is nicer, for the ride it's not an issue as London is quite flat. I would happily carry the 20+ kilo's bike upstairs but only to 3 floor max and not if the stairs are narrow. Also 500 won't buy him such a bike, those are build to last 50 years at least.
I don't think weight makes any or much difference for probably 90% of people who are riding for transportation. As you mentioned, having to carry them up stairs would be the biggest issue. The problem is that in the US and to a lessor extent in the UK the bike shops don't know any better. Most have never seen nor ridden a proper city bike. They have no knowledge about the them. Anything less than a road or mountain bike is a beach cruiser and not for any kind of 'serious cycling'.
Their knowledge is largely based on racing or mountain biking so that's what they sell. They consistently say that weight is critical so all of their customers think that as well. IGH is more expensive than cheap derailleurs so if cost is an issue (and it nearly always is) then customers end up with the lightest and cheapest road or hybrid they can afford. But these are uncomfortable for average people to ride, require shorts or at a minimum a pants clip (and then still get pants greasy), and go out of adjustment quickly. The result is that people buy them but then don't ride very often.