Definitely the way to go. I geared mine down to a 20, because I couldn't find a 23, but as soon as I find one I will go to the 23. I spin a lot and the 80 inch gear is just a little big. Like someone's signature here on the board-3 speeds is all you need!

Hmmmmmm..........What YOU fail to see (or just don't want to which is more the case) is that Dutch
type bikes ARE NOT COMMON IN THE U. S. A. AND NEED TO BE NOW. The whole world DOES NOT
revolve around MTB anymore. Expecting people to use the wrong bike just because it's the norm for
YOU is grossly unfair on your part.

Don't look now but in this thread you've become a lone voice in a wilderness where nobodys listening
anymore. Your instance in pressing your point has made you into a troll in this thread which is sad.
You're not a troll but then again..........

You are correct, unless the "whole world" of cycling revolves around performance oriented fitness buffs as apparantly believed by some of our commuting comrades.

More food for thought.........

https://www.metroland.net/back_issues...mple_life.html

https://www.silt3.com/index.php?id=657

https://www.science.uva.nl/research/a...ubledutch2.htm

I find the text in the article #3 about MTB enlightening.

https://www.bikereader.com/contributo...ow/modena.html

A city with many cyclists has to be called vibrant, doesn’t it?

If the town’s folk are all pedaling around town, people must be more friendly, healthier, and lively. The air must be fresher. It just looks idyllic.

The reason those bikes aren't common in the US is that they haven't been popular since the 1950's. Few people want them! Furthermore, they certainly won't attract young people to cycling. However, if you want one nothing is stopping you from getting one. The choice we have in bicycles these days is absolutely amazing. I'm not the one who's trying to tell people what they "should" buy, YOU are. The people have already voted with their wallets, but you just won't accept it.

Which begs the question, which I addressed before, of why don't we want dutch style bikes. We don't want them because they are not advertised as being cool, not because they don't work for what they are designed for. Consumers are sheep and they buy whats "hot" and "in".

Put a "manly man" on a new Dutch style bike with a blonde with big boobs gushing over him and the bikes would sell like hotcakes.

Now there's a juvenile, condescending attitude. If somebody doesn't agree with you they must be "sheep", huh? Rrrright.

Hey I wouldn't mind a good looking big boob blonde on any kind of bike.

I'd prefer a cute little asian a-cup on my Fuji.

Gets my nomination for best post of the day by a newbie.

Where is the MTB article? All I see is Dutch style bikes.

You know, "vintage" is pretty trendy these days.

This is a picture of the bike parking station next to the Centraal Station mentioned in the above URL. Picture taken in 2001 or 2002



Below is a typical street scene in Amsterdam scanned from a book.

I prefer the kind of intellectual woman who knows a good thing when she sees it and can appreciate the finer things in life.

It's IN the text of #3 link. Read down aways to find the text that tells of MTB's in Dutch-land.

Water, water, everywhere... Often the canals don't come with safety railings...my own picture:

That's OK. The Dutch have figured out that their commuting bikes are for cycling on the road, not in the canals, and their bikes also have brakes that work in all weather, so the lack of "safety" railings causes no "safety" hardship. My experience the "safety" railing are on the bridges over the canals; along the canals there is less immediate proximity of pedestrian/cyclist traffic. There are small barriers often to keep cars park.

Note how useful a Smart car is for parking in tight spaces; also notice the "safety" railing protecting the tree.

Attached other Amsterdam pictures; note pedestrians and trams and trolley tracks. Somehow practical people can figure out that cycling is possible amongst all of it without making a BFD race out of it or going into a tizzy about weight-weenie-efficiency or "safety".

The advertising for bicycle gears used sexy models??? Funny. You just got to love the internal gear hub!

All this from the home of Ferrari. Interesting

Don't take it personally. I'm saying that bicycle tastes are dictated by advertising. You can agree or disagree. I am not saying you are a sheep if you don't agree with me.

And the people smart enough to figure out how useful bikes with those hubs can be in so many typical commuting/utility/recreational cycling scenarios!

https://bikeportland.org/2006/04/05/c...rtlands-dream/

https://www.bta4bikes.org/at_work/netherlands.php

While I was poking around on American bike sites this morning something
struck me that I'm sure many over look. In those ad's for clubs,organization
etc. the bike used as an example is always a MTB not anything close to a
"Dutch" bike. The riders all have helmets and ride without fenders on bikes
with derailers.

It's no wonder that American riders don't want or know about "Dutch" type
bikes so common in Europe!! The "image" if cycling in the U.S.A. is that of
MTB'er not a utility cyclist. As we all know "image" is everything.

That said, until the "image" of cycling in America changes back to ad's that have
normal people riding normal bikes the lycra / helmet "bikes r toys" crowd will
be the market sold to.

I have to say that the main challenge in the U.S.A. is how to change the image
away from all the sports aspects that currently define cycling in America. A
quick study of how the Europeans (and the rest of the world) define cycling
means 'we've' got it all wrong.