Wow, those truly are bikes you could ride to China and back over dirt roads. I've never seen a rear rack built into the frame like that. Very interesting. And not as heavy as I thought. It's a specialized application, though. If I were to embark on a 3-year journey around the world or something ambitious like that, then I'd want one of these (with the Rolhoff hubs, of course). On the other hand, if I just wanted to go across the country on paved roads and use it for commuting to work when not on tours, I'd choose one of the many fine versatile touring bikes listed above.