Hi, I'm looking to get a bit of an all around bike. I live in Ottawa, where we have lots of bike paths, and a fairly bike friendly city. There are also the Gatineau park nearby, with has a lot of hilly paved road.
Now, I'm just not into road bikes. I'd like something with a bit of versatility. If I need to jump a curb and ride over a grass hill, I'd like to be able to do so. I'm not looking to ride mountain trails, but outside of that, I don't want to be too limited.
So, my choices seem to be a Cyclocross bike, or perhaps a Commuter. I was looking at the following bike, from MEC:
MEC Hold Stead ($1250)
I like the style of it, and I am very interested in the internal gear hub, as I have always been annoyed by constantly maladjusted derailleurs. My concerns are the following: will the gears be able to go low enough so that I can easily climb something like a grassy hill? Also, will the tires be sturdy enough to handle grass/dirt/gravel, and the occasional curb hop?
Cyclocross bikes seem like a good option as well, though I don't really feel comfortable with downgrips, and they all seem to have traditional derailleurs (which, hey, might be okay). I don't really know what cyclocross bikes to go for, either.
Any input or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!