Nice discussion to read as I settle in from my 21 mile commute on my 1986 steel-framed touring bike. (No leather bags, but I do have a sprung Brooks saddle, thank you.) My bike weighs 40-odd pounds with my work stuff in the panniers, but I’m rarely passed. After buying the frame (bent but fixable) on E-bay, and investing in some Phil Wood wheels,I’ve commuted almost 7000 miles in the past 4 years. It’s bullet-proof. My “racing” bike is a 1981 steel-framed Colnago I’ve had for 25 years.

So I’m not accused of a complete threadjack, I’ll point out that my wife and I have enough kids to get looks in public. Diapers through high school. They’re great. It’s fun.