Originally Posted by
alpacalypse
What kind of distances are you riding? Dutch-style bikes are great, but arguably best suited to rides under 10-15 miles or so.
II guess one could argue anything, but this statement just does not match reality. I have an old 50 pound cruiser and go further than that all the time. Walter Anderson, great American, routinely road his cruiser from Ocean springs, Mississippi to New Orleans and back. Easily a hundred miles. Supposedly, he road on trips 3,000 to 4,000 miles. The bike hangs in his museum in Ocean Springs.
http://www.walterandersonmuseum.org/
That said my cruiser is single speed geared down because it was sold all over America. It's a 56 Schwinn Wasp. It tops out at 12 MPH maybe a little faster. If I did not live in a flat area, I probably would not like this bike as much as I do. Wind has a more noticeable big effect and cruisers are less upright than Dutch bikes.
The biggest factor in selecting a bike is where and how you drive it. I am 63 and have arthritis in both knees and still enjoy this bike. But I am in a city that is flat, congested, and has poor pavement. It is not my only bike. If Pashleys or any Dutch bike were sold in New Orleans I would be tempted. I did test ride an Electra New Amsterdam and was not that impressed.