Originally Posted by
Lovegasoline
That very well could be and it goes without saying there are many riders younger, fitter, and more skilled than myself ....
....and then there's the issue of the machine.
Perhaps the next winner of the Tour De France will win it on a bone stock Citibike; and they should be able to if youth, fitness (including doping), and skill are the only metrics.
I too like to ride aggressively in traffic, especially when I'm time pressured and/or want some adrenaline.
That's why I like the Motobecane vs. the Citibike, because I can be much more aggressive and agile in traffic; otherwise it wouldn't matter and I'd just casually cruise.
Many BMX'ers are especially agile on the street proper, as well it's boundaries ... and with whatever is in their way. I'm actually tempted at times to give it whirl because it looks so rad and fun, but I've already got my sport as well as full plate. If I commit to another sport it will be paragliding.
I grew up riding in the city, including time working as a bike messenger. The bike lanes have made traffic so bad that riding in traffic is much tougher. The bike lanes have made it easier for the "casual cyclist", but impossible for someone who wants to keep a decent pace. I used a bike similar to yours when I worked as a messenger, BTW. I had a fixed gear bike as well, but always had at least one brake on it. I get what you say about the Citibikes, but to me, they feel a lot lighter and swifter than I expected; far superior to the old English three speeds.
But I still maintain that a high end, but older hardtail would be a great city bike. I have a Litespeed like that now, with all XTR and 26" 28mm high pressure tires, a modern suspension fork, and a sprung seatpost; it's an ideal setup for very bumpy roads. Even with the suspension, it's probably lighter than your Motorbacane. Trek and others make similar bikes now, generally in the range of about $1,000, (not XTR, but similar weight and style). They are the "aggressive" hybrids. I paid about $600 for my Litespeed used, but just recently bought a Steven's bike with similar style at a Pawn shop in Florida for $300. Steven's called that a "Trekking style" bicycle; but they don't sell in the US at all. That one was a 700c with suspension fork and aluminum frame. Sells in Germany for about $1,200. If I were you, I'd take a look on Craig's List to see what you can find. Funny how, in Florida, there are tons of Pawn shops and they all have bikes, and you can sometimes find some gems.
If you don't get a bike with either some sort of suspension, or fairly wide tires, NYC will eventually destroy anything. I broke an "A Line" Raleigh 3-sp frame riding in the city...and that's tough to do, (they did give me a free frame though). But I rode very hard back then. As you get older, you also get much less tolerant of bumpy roads. If you prefer a road bike, the Specialized Roubaix I think would be the ideal bike, but the front "Future Shock" suspension just came out...so minimum $2,000 with very few used options. But the older Roubaixs are plentiful and still had some shock absorbing capabilities. The new front headset shock set up really is a step forward though. I ride a lot of bumpy bike trails up in Westchester, so I have been hoping to get a Roubaix at some point.