I'm personally sick of the emphasis on "performance" mtn bikes and racing bikes. These are elitist niche markets oriented towards winning races and being "x-treme" not towards getting from A to B. As gas prices go up there's going to be more and more demand for heavy, durable three speed utility bikes. I've been converting a Rat Rod over to a utility bike format. It's big and heavy, but so am I--and so are most Americans We're not 170 lb. rail thin guys in spandex.

The Rat doesn't go too fast, but rides like a train. And the best thing is when I was over by Potter Marsh this weekend where all the tour bike fanatics were gearing up to go down Turnagain Arm, they loved my steel frame clunker bike! I'm telling you, for the first time in my life I'm on the cusp of a trend.