Which type of bike for me?

[NbyNW]

Folks have done 1200k rides on them, so they can't be *that* slow. . . Put it this way - DH is fast enough to want a "real" bike for some rides - and he's having trouble finding something comparable with 700c wheels.

. . . faster than a speeding bullet?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lillian...7605568080842/

And yes, they're a great fit option for smaller riders. The small wheels mean no toe overlap problems.

On the flip side, heel strike w/ rear panniers might be an issue, depending on your frame geometry and the design of your rear rack. It took me quite a bit of research to find something that would work on my bike. It's not impossible, you just have to choose carefully.