Originally Posted by
noglider
Also, the NYC bike share program called Citi Bike has bikes that weigh about 50 lbs, and small people ride them. Citi Bike publishes statistics, and the number of trips made per year is surprisingly high.
Great point about bikeshare bikes. My 80lb DIL rides Citibikes all over. They live in DUMBO so she'll ride up the hill to get on either the Brooklyn or Manhattan bridge. Actually, just climbing the Brooklyn itself from the Manhattan side is a pretty good hill. She has mentioned a few times that she wouldn't mind a Citibike station at the top of the Washington St steps on the Brooklyn side so she could just walk to there and then ride.
As you pointed out though, gobs of people of all sizes ride bikeshare bikes. And they do so in cities all over and do so up and down some pretty good hills. And these bikes are kind of wonky compared to a good Dutch upright.