>>1386226>why do i see so many people riding mountain bikes in the city?It's a holdover from boomer culture.
In the 70s, the 'bike boom', really poor quality road bikes flooded the market as the 'casual' bike of choice.
They weren't light or lively to ride, because they had gaspipe tubing.
They didn't have good ergonomics either, because of stem shifters and suicide levers and brakes with no hoods.
They were massively overgeared for casual riders because of imitating also overgeared pro gearing.
They couldn't stop because of garbage brakes and steel rims.
And just all round they were clunky to use and no good.
So the majority of boomers grew up thinking that road bikes were either some esoteric niche sport, or complete shit.
Then when mtbs came in, their brakes worked, they had low gearing, they were more comfortable and people weren't even familiar with what a light or lively bike was like to begin with so they didn't perceive any loss. And the idea that a road-esque bike might be somewhat competent on anything but a smooth surface wasn't considered because a schwinn varsity would fall apart if you looked at it wrong, it was not only not good for everything, it was not good for anything.
