Originally Posted by CrankyOne

When you travel outside of the US there's a reason that the majority of people (about 99% in many countries) are riding upright IGH bikes and most often Dutch bikes — they work better for transportation. They're more reliable, require less maintenance, are more comfortable, can carry more stuff without getting squirrelly, and can easily be ridden in whatever clothes people desire. There's no need for lycra or shorts or rubber bands on pants or special shoes. As mentioned above, sitting upright allows you to see around you much better and drivers also tend to give people on upright bikes more room when passing.

Many of these people, me included, also have drop bar racing bikes for fitness rides but these don't work as well for transportation. Some of us race cars for a hobby but we don't drive to work in our race cars; they're too loud, suspension is too harsh, require more maintenance per mile driven, don't have built-in lights, require gloves, and seating isn't nearly as comfortable.