Originally Posted by mdarnton

I did this to my single speed and I see quite a few similar around town.

Basically, expensive bikes are mostly made for 20-something racer wannabes who don't mind riding with their noses brushing the pavement and the farther you get from that the more you have to put up with trash bikes. For instance, the top Trek Verve is $850, much less than their cheapest road or gravel bike, I think, and weighs 32 pounds.

Or you take a good one and make it into what you want and need, based on your own flexibility and live with the insults.