Originally Posted by Maelochs

The issue is the defintiion of "practicality."

"Practical" as people are sort of using it here, is more towards "versatile." Versatile means, able to do a decent job at a lot of different things.

practical

1---of or concerned with the actual doing or use of something rather than with theory and ideas.
"there are two obvious practical applications of the research"
(synonyms: empirical · hands-on · pragmatic · real · actual · active · applied · experiential · experimental · nontheoretical · in the field · how-to · heuristic · empiric)
2---(of an idea, plan, or method) likely to succeed or be effective in real circumstances; feasible.
"neither of these strategies is practical for smaller businesses"
(synonyms: feasible · practicable · realistic · viable · workable · possible ·)
3---suitable for a particular purpose.
"a practical, stylish kitchen"
(synonyms: functional · serviceable · sensible · useful · utilitarian · utility · everyday · workaday · ordinary · suitable · appropriate)
4---(of a person) sensible and realistic in their approach to a situation or problem.
"I'm not unfeeling, just trying to be practical"
(synonyms: realistic · sensible · down-to-earth · pragmatic · businesslike )
5---so nearly the case that it can be regarded as so; virtual.
"it was a practical certainty that he would try to raise more money"
(synonyms: virtual · effective · in effect)

Likely to succeed in real circumstances? The people who actually do adventure touring don't use '80s rigid MTBs that I have seen. They use bikes mostly with modern standards ..... because that is what stores carry. The one thing about old rigid steel-framed MTBs is that they can be forced to work with a variety of wheels .... but wheels have been mostly 130- or 135 mm dropout width since the mid '90s anyway so a modern bike is not less practical.

(Let it be noted---the number of people who actually do adventure touring is phenomenally small, compared to the number of people who tour, and That number is a ridiculously tiny slice pf people who ride bikes. And most of the people I have seen, met, crossed paths with while touring ... did Not have '80s rigid MTBs. In fact, none of them did.) )

Suitable for a particular purpose? From what I have read, the people actually trying to bike across continents are not using '80s MTBs, because they think reliable modern equipment better suits the purpose. Based on experience, same thing.

On the other hand:

versatile

1----able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities.
"a versatile sewing machine" ·
(synonyms: adaptable · flexible · all-around · multifaceted · multitalented · multiskilled ·)

Seems to me we might have avoided this debate (or a lot of it) if people had simply bothered to use the language more precisely.