Agree completely, although I wouldn't go so far as to say looks are the only reason someone would ride an 'impractical' bike. I pretty much only use fixed-gear

Agree completely, although I wouldn't go so far as to say looks are the only reason someone would ride an 'impractical' bike. I pretty much only use fixed-gear bikes for city riding, even in cities like San Francisco and Seattle with tons of hills (albeit one with handbrakes — I'm not suicidal). I like the way they look and feel, and there are other benefits (generally cheaper, easier to maintain, etc) but the main thing I like is the "impracticality". Cycling is my main form of exercise, and on any given day the bulk of my moving-around time might be biking to/from the coffee shop or my coworking space. The inefficient energy consumption and increased cardio is a feature.