Commuting isn’t about a bike feeling good or going fast.
Really? I like the bike that I do 5,000 miles/year on to feel as good as possible. It’s the one that I’ll still be riding even on those days when I don’t particularly feel like going for ride. And given that its purpose is to get me to my destination, I’d like it to be as quick as possible too, whilst still being practical.
It’s about reliability. Knowing you’re going to get on the bike and get to your destination in the normal time, without any dramas. Imagine, if you will, driving to work in a car that looks lovely, but is likely to break down once a week. Silly, isn’t it?
Yep, that would be silly. But even on 5,000 miles a year, I averaged a couple of punctures a year at most. Punctures take 5 minutes to fix, and don’t need to be a drama. I’d much rather fix the occasional puncture than ride unpleasantly draggy tyres all year.