[analog31]

I read an article by Rhiannon Gibbons, which suggested that music was primarily regional until the 20th century, and that the taxonomy of genres emerged alongside the nationwide distribution of recorded music, which is of course worldwide now.

Likewise, my bike is regional -- it's thrown together from what I've found in my neighbors' trash. Most non-sportive riders use the bike categories to narrow down their choices in search of a bike that's comfortable, practical, and at least moderately stylish. In the early years of mass produced "mountain bikes," most MTB's were purchased for use on pavement. People liked them because they looked like they'd be sturdy and comfortable. It helped that MTB's were also most people's first introduction to indexed shifting and aluminum wheels.