But it makes sense if you think about it: it's a highly risky, not very rewarding experience to bike to work in the US so only the people really into it/passion

But it makes sense if you think about it: it's a highly risky, not very rewarding experience to bike to work in the US so only the people really into it/passionate about it do it. I would expect a large overlap between people passionate about biking and those that dress in lycra and ride road bikes. Other reasons that I could see for that: - longer average commute distance for US bike commuters vs other places (which means, you want a nicer/faster bike and comfortable/aerodynamic clothing) - there is a cultural element to it, especially for a certain age group (aka MAMILs) plus the higher relative price of racing equipment isn't an issue for this group Plus, racing bikes are really very nice bikes. I like to compare it like driving a Ferrari to work, sure, it's not the best place to take advantage of such a car/engine, but it's still a better experience than a regular car (but YMMV, depends on the quality of the road).