Which bike do you ride & why?

[NbyNW]

Kinda wordy, but I hope it answers your questions --

I would probably consider a WSD bike if I were shopping for something new, as I get the impression that they seem to be designed for short torso/long legs. Not that my legs are particularly long (I'm 5'1"), but I think my torso is short based on how clothes fit, or don't. What I struggle with is that some of the LBS' that I've been to that carry WSD bikes . . . often don't have them in a size that is small enough for me to test ride!

I think my MTB pre-dates the concept of WSD . . . at any rate, I don't recall the term being tossed around when I bought it in 1998. It was the only thing that fit me in my budget at the time. It's a GT Rebound, size 12.5". I'm still happy with it . . . but to be honest I haven't had a chance to take it off road in 5 years (I blame grad school and injury), so recently it has become my neighborhood/utility bike. The knobby tires are going back on this summer, though. This is the cheapest, heaviest, ugliest bike I own but it holds the most sentimental value. The longer I have it the more I love it.

For years I thought my MTB was the tiniest bike ever, but then I met my road bike, which is a Rodriguez Rainier, size "S1" which is their smallest standard size (I measure it at 43cm) but I can't say for sure if it's WSD. I'm told that the frame design is based on measurement data they've collected from years of building custom bikes for petite riders who are mostly women. Love it. It does all the work for me on hills. Chose it b/c Rodriguez has excellent customer service and they make bikes for small riders, and they're 10 minutes away from me. And a good chunk of it was paid for by an insurance claim.

My folding bike that I commute on is a Dahon SpeedPro TT. Dahons are one-size-fits-most. It fits me just fine, it's peppy, I love the color, and it stays safely under my desk while I work. And I wanted to support my friend's company, because I think it's going in a really good direction.