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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Roxlimn" data-source="post: 2121918" data-attributes="member: 11878">I think a nice hardtail hybrid offers you the best of what you want, while also being flexibile enough to ride on a moderate downhill or uphill gravel trail, if you ever need to do something like that in a fix.  Also forgives you for holding onto your handlebars if you ever happen to hit an unexpected pothole.At least 10 gears would be my minimum recommendation, with generous ranges.  If you don't expect a great deal of hyper-fast pedaling over logs and stuff, getting a granny gear may be a waste of money.  Better to have some of that 54/11 range for rapid downhill paved roads.I highly recommend getting an aluminum frame.  Hybrid frames don't offer much to commuters for the cost, and carbon frames last far less.  With the shocks on the front fork, you won't need the additional flex, and the stiffness on the rear is nice to have for stability and power.The most money you should spend for your bike is on brakes and transmission.  It's not good to skimp on these, as they impact safety immensely on a commute, and also can reflect on reliability.  You shouldn't compromise safety on the frame, by any means, but the premiums you pay for in more expensive frames don't impact safety appreciably anyway.Never get generic brakes and transmission.  You will surely regret it.  Shimano is cheap, reliable, and offers great performance for money.  It's been offering some really annoyingly subpar transmissions groups of late, so you want to be staying away from the lower grade Shimano models.  Deore is really the least you should settle for.  You can probably get a nice deal on 2003 and 2002 2nd tier models.I'd also pay attention to handlebar grips and lights, if I were you.  You may need to bike in the dark, whether you want to or not, and lights are the minimum safety precaution you should have.  Don't bother with reflectors.  A nice bright largish set of bike lights is what you want.Always get bikes from bike shops.  It's a little more expensive, but the free assembly and advice you get is well worth the cost.  Listen to their advice carefully, especially from shops with a healthy number of pro enthusiasts in the wings.  Bike mechanics take pride in their work, and will usually not stoop to overblowing a point such that they'll sell you a part you don't really need.  They're not into that.  Lots better ways to make money than selling bike parts.  They're more into getting you into a bike which won't endanger you beyond the capability of their consciences to take, and of course, performance and enjoyment of the ride.</blockquote>

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