Originally Posted by dave.lloyd

My bike is porky, upright and built like a panzer. It came with fenders, chain case, generator light (which unfortunately works like crap under 40F), a rack, a rear frame lock (perfect for a quick pop in) and eight sweet, sweet internal gears. It's a Trek L200 which was imported into this country for a while, but Trek stopped selling due to lack of interest. Trek still makes these, and bikes like it, for the Dutch market.

Basically, I see my bike as a short distance car replacement. It's reliable, low maintenance, tough, it can haul crap (better now with a double leg kickstand so it doesn't tip over when the rear rack is loaded down with beer), and I'm pretty well able to use it for just about any short distance trip I used to use my car for.

I originally bought this bike to replace my old rigid frame Specialized HardRock for commuting. Knowing what I do now, I might be tempted to get a cross bike instead for just commuting. But this bike works out great as a car replacement. Honestly, the relaxed and upright geometry, chain case and the ability to wear normal clothes on this bike plays a huge part there.

It's true, though, you can use any bike for commuting. Use what you like and what feels comfy to you. If wearing bib shorts and your team jersey gets you out of your car and onto your Litespeed, great! If being able to wear a suit and tie and pedal along at a relaxed pace does it, good for you! If you get yourself from home to work on it, it's a commuter bike.

Getting my butt out of a car and onto my bike for my commute has been one of the most positive experiences in my life, probably right behind getting married and having kids. It's opened up a completely new way of thinking for me and if someone needs some different motivation to have that same door opened for them, the let 'em do it.

That said, I like city bikes and utility bikes. Personally, I think that a lot of people are a bit turned off thinking that they'll have to wear bike shorts and a jersey to hop on a bike. I don't think it occurs to most people that they can eliminate a large number of their under two to five mile trips by using a bike because of the perception that they have to change clothes to get on a bike, unlike their car where they can just turn the key and go.

Personally, I don't expect people who live more than three miles away from work to be converted to biking to work. Yes, the 6.75 each way I do is easy and enjoyable for me but it's a perception thing for lots of people. But maybe, just maybe, people could be convinced to use their bike for a trip to the drugstore, to pick up a few items at the grocery store (the one closest to my house has a crappy bike rack, but I always get great parking) and then maybe they'll start to expand their horizons.

The mindset of driving everywhere has tremendous inertia. I don't expect sudden changes, just little ones over time. But if I can be talked out of my car and onto a bike, pretty well anyone can. Maybe bikes that espouse a simple 'get on and ride' idea can be a part of that.