"Gary, thanks! I love my Sage. :-) Bikes are a great alternative to a car if you're willing to get the clothing that some weather will require. After all, there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes. Additionally, I think a commuter bike should have fenders, a rack, and I'm loving the kick stand. You'll also want to add lights. On to your questions: 1. I don't miss the extra gears. On my mountain bike, I only used the middle chain ring. That's all Sage has. I'd have to walk up steep hills, and the gearing doesn't really work well for over 20 mph. But I find I'm biking largely in the 13-15 mph range and she's perfect for that. Without the front derailleur, the single chain ring can have protective plates on each side. Maybe this keeps your leg cleaner. 2. It's hard to go by just bike weight specs. After all, I attach a pannier to my bike and that becomes part of her mass. And the mass doesn't matter too much on the flat. Sage feels faster than my mountain bike, but she might..." - Brent Logan