I don't doubt such commuters could be found somewhere but I doubt if there are "a helluva lot of" them. Beat up dirt roads and commutes of 24 miles or more each way with brutal climbs? Just what percentage of bicyclists or potential cyclists do you believe regularly commute under those or similar conditions? 1/1000? 1/10,000?

Of course it is possible to alter the equation if you should choose to only consider the more righteous cyclists like yourself, and ignore all those pesky immigrants, college students, school kids etc. who cycle daily to their work or school or chosen destinations but don't fit the "Experienced Cyclist" profile.