Hybrid Bicycles - help with bikes that arent readily available

While looking for new bikes this week, we took a trip to the Kona dealer (a bike i have wanted to try for years). I was particularly looking at the Dr. Fine and/or PHD. They carry neither bike and apparently the phd is only available in Canada? The Dr. Fine can be ordered but they demand a downpayment of half the bikes cost and if you dont like the bike, you are forced to get your money back as only store credit toward another bike. Having said that, I test drove the Dr Dew 56cm to try and get an idea of what the Kona would feel like and this bike was on sale for under 700.

My first impression was cramped cockpit and a really, really stiff ride. Extremely fast, awesome handling, fantastic brakes and good shifting. I understand that most hybrids will be "cramped" based on design and probably i just need to get used to it, but the stiffness/harshness wasnt expected and something i didnt feel in the Cannondale quick 3 (the only other bike i have test rode thus far).

Are Kona road and hybrid bikes known for a more stiff ride yet excellent handling and components? The Dr. Fine interests me because of the unique drive train. Does it too have the alluminum fork? Is the alluminum fork the reason for the stiff feel?

How about the PH.d? i suppose the same questions would apply.

Im looking more for a true hybrid, something with a tire that i can go off road with occasionally, but yes it will be used on the roads 75% of the time. So, a Giant Rapid (street tire) may not be the ideal choice although a great bike. Here is my short list and any help would be great.

Cannondale Cx1, abit more than i want to spend but it has the lock out shock and the hybrid type bike i would prefer.

Kona phd
Kona dr. fine
Giant Accend
Giant seek 0
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all of the above are only available by pre order here.

Trek and specialized are on the demo agenda for Monday. Any ideas and thoughts are welcome.

... I understand that most hybrids will be "cramped" based on design and probably i just need to get used to it,...
What???? I've always believed the frames were relaxed.
Luckily my bike had perfect geometry off the shelf for me. Got the bike unseen / untested, as the shop staff measured me up before I ordered it, and ensured the stem, bars, post, saddle etc. were adjusted accordingly.
If you really want the Kona, surely your Kona dealer would offer the same service. The cramped feeling should be relieved through the correct stem length and angle.

When i refer to being cramped on a bike, im talking about the upright position on the bike. I prefer a more stretched out postion or aggressive position and thats why i prefer going a size larger in the frame than what the "manuel" says i should be riding for my height.

Yes, i was offered fitting before a preorder, but like i said, its a huge gamble based on their return policy. I was mainly curious to know if Kona bikes were designed to be stiffer than others in this bike category because of the alum front end.

Again i appreciated the recomendations for my nieces bike that carried over into this tread. That Jamis is blue, so she will at least look at it, lol. However, finding that bike in stock locally will be a challenge. almost all of the bikes im interested arent carried locally and cannondale doesnt like to carry anything larger than a medium for some reason.

I'm confused...this bike is for you isn't it?

I'm confused...this bike is for you isn't it?
This thread is about the OP, but Slim apparently was giving advice about the niece's bike search that the OP has from another thread in this one.

EDIT: Found the other thread- http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/775798-help-with-bike-for-a-beginner?p=13379011#post13379011

I didn't see the PhD, but the Dr. Fine has an alu frame with a carbon fork.

im really interested in the Dr. Fine but i cant see myself buying a bike sight unseen and being forced to buy from that shop no matter what the verdict would be on the Kona after test driving it.

Giant has a bike, the seek 0, with a similiar drive train. Local shop doesnt carry it so i cant demo that either. Any other bikes, perhaps trek since that superstore has everything, with that drive train?

I can certainly understand not buying a bike you haven't tried. I wouldn't.
The Cannondale Quick 3 you tried has a carbon fork, so will absorb more than a bike without the carbon. Also their seatstays and SAVE system are designed to give you a smoother ride. It could just be the difference in frame design that you're feeling.

If you feel cramped on a hybrid then you're on the wrong size or haven't had the bike fitted for your body. My favorite shops put the bike and me up on a trainer and adjust both seat and bar positions before I even try a test ride.

The quick 3 i rode was a medium and this shop doesnt seem to want to stock anything larger than medium. They put me on a Raleigh bike in a large frame to see the difference and i liked that size much better but that bike was aweful in the comfort area when compared to the cannondale. i will probably just wait a month or two and buy the cannondale quick cx1 when i can afford it. Im familiar with cannondale and feel comfortable buying site unseen with them because i used to ride cannondale back when the original jekyll came out and even rode the super v's for awhile.

I could understand being cramped on a Dr. Dew in stock trim. They put some super stubby stems on the ones I've seen on the floor. Couple that with a flat bar and your hands could be a good 4-6" aft where they'd be on the hoods of a road bike of the same size.

A longer-than-stock stem and some barends might be in order if you want to stick with the flatbar action.