> Imagine the variety of bikes people would come up with, lacking alternatives: Personal transport, of course, but also cargo, long-haul, rough terrain, tandem

> Imagine the variety of bikes people would come up with, lacking alternatives: Personal transport, of course, but also cargo, long-haul, rough terrain, tandem/triple/etc when more power is needed, rickshaws, etc.; with bikes already being the established 'first mover', This did happen: Bicycles used to be the primary mode of transport for many many people even in Europe. It certainly was in China and other parts of Asia. Long John Style Cargo bikes - the type that Bullit for example builds - were conceived in the early 1920ies. Butchers/Barkes Bicycles were common until the 1950ies in Europe. Cars were a luxury back then, common people used bicycles, walked or used public transport. I think that electric assistance is what will drive a renaissance of cycling as a mode of transport if infrastructure can be provided that makes cycling in cities safe and enjoyable. It allows sufficiently high speeds to achieve reasonable transport times even on medium distances for most people.