It’s more like a tool.

People ask “How many bikes do you have?” My first thought is “How many hammers do I have? How many screwdrivers?”

A person with just one screwdriver is not a serious tool user. Screwdrivers are inexpensive enough, and specialized enough, that, the typical tool user has several, depending on the task.

So, I have two commuter bikes, one of which is is dedicated all winter to snow-ice. I mount studded tires and leave them on all winter. It’s the bike I grab if there’s snow-ice. If it’s dry-cold, I grab my other commuter — same make and model, but with regular tires. Both bikes have fenders.

And I have two “road bikes” — a single-speed when I know that the one gear will be just fine for the road/weather; and a road/trail hybrid when I’ll need more gears. Neither is an elite model — but plenty fun for fun rides.

A bike is a tool. In particular, a hand-tool form of transportation.

Like power tools, cars have so much surplus power that they can afford to be heavier. Cars can afford to carry around an air conditioner in the winter, a heater in the summer, wipers in the desert, etc. etc. Most use the same car for long or short distance travel.

But bikes have much less available power. Yes, I could ride snow tires in the summer, but limited to my own power, I prefer to use snow tires only when needed. If you’re riding across town, you’d reach for a very different bike from the one to ride across the country.