A solid tube can kink more readily than a flexible one and is harder to make tight bends
Quality control on lots of things can be spotty since we've outsourced so much of our production to overseas. This can apply to both the hoses and the solid chromed tubing.
Like I said, it takes more skill and tools. There are various tubing benders that can be used if you need to make more than a very gentle bend, including spring benders and special pliers that the average homeowner may not have. Certainly, if you try to bend it beyond just a little without the right tools, you can easily kink or collapse the rigid tubing. But, you're more likely to have a leak from a poorly crimped fitting on the hose or to have the hose give way if it is hit and you can kink one of them, too, if you try to bend it in too tight of a curve. On a hose, it may not be catastrophic and require a replacement, though...kink a solid riser, and it's time for a new one.
For decades, plastics weren't available, and the supply as always done with rigid tubing. Personally, I like the chromed finish on the tubing over the hoses, but use both depending on the circumstances. The hoses are quicker and easier to install, and don't take any special tools...they work. There are millions of them out there. They fail once in awhile.
