Originally Posted by alanbikehouston
CAN a 'bent be used in urban traffic, and SHOULD a 'bent be used in urban traffic are philosophical questions. And, then there is the question of what actually are the "customs" of cyclists in various cities.
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What I NEVER see is a 'bent on a "major" street...the sort of street that connects one neighborhood to another, and the kind of street that commuters use to get to and from their jobs. Never.
So, while in "theory", a 'bent might do a fine job of getting folks around the "Big City", that is NOT what folks use them for in Houston. In this city, they are a smooth, flat, paved "bike trail" kind of bike.
Fortunately for me, Portland Maine is not Houston, and besides, my commute is outside of the city proper anyway. Still, the roads I ride
are what you might call "major" -- two-way traffic at speeds of 30-50, frequent intersections, variable amounts of shoulder. Your post answers, for Houston, the question "IS a 'bent used in urban traffic" (answer: no), but still leaves open, from what I read, the CAN and especially the SHOULD question, especially for other cities.