It might be out of your ballpark price range for an entry level bike, but I recently put my Longbikes Slipstream up for sale. Its a very comfortable ride and handles exceptionally well on rougher roads - rail-trails, dirt roads and the like. Its not particularly light, so not a fast climber but very stable both at slow speeds and high speed descents. If you get down to eastern CT at all, you're welcome to give it a test ride. Details and pix over at 'bentrideronline.com

http://www.bentrideronline.com/messa...ad.php?t=59501