Hi guys,
Thanks for the responses! I didn't know about the wt5 and it looks very tempting based on some of the reviews around here. I'm fairly handy so I wouldn't be too worried about putting it together. The 7.1 and 7.2 look a lot like the bike I'm reviewing below (and both appear to have aluminum frames). Not sure if they would be right (seem my comments below).
I had the chance to try another bike today over my lunch break:
Bike: Schwinn Searcher NX8
Transmission: Shimano Nexus 8 speed gear hub
Brakes: Rim brakes (didn't check brand)
frame: double butted aluminum
tires: Continental Double Fighter 700x37c
Bikeshop Price: $550
I wanted to check this bike out since it seems like the price was pretty good vs retail (ie $649 retail, though the bike shop tried to claim $800). The bike looks nice enough though fairly generic. It actually feels extremely similar to my old mountain bike which I assume is due to the aluminium frame, straight handlebar, and kinda chunky tires. The seat was rather uncomfortable and the aluminum frame made the ride somewhat harsh. I could feel the old problem spot in my shoulder acting up after only 5 minutes which didn't happen on either the graduate or the brookhurst. Having said that, the components on the bike are nice. The nexus 8 works fairly well although shifting was a bit hard (though nicely distinct). I didn't notice any real problem shifting while peddling but I didn't have any hills to try it on. The brakes are typical rim brakes but felt much better than the ones on the brookhurst (though I still like th drums on the graduate better). Despite being aluminum the bike didn't really feel any lighter than the steel bikes I was looking at last night. The bike shop guy said 25lbs but I think he was just guessing. It seemed like a nice enough bike for the price, but I think it probably wasn't quite right for commuting without some modifications.
Side Note: Bike shop employees seem nearly as opinionated about bikes as system administrators are about computers. I've had several tell me Sturmey-Archer sucks while others tell me they are fine and support their products better than Shimano. Some of them just make up information on the spot or tell half truths (especially when it comes to prices). Not all of them have been this way, but more than I would have suspected. Buyer beware.
Mark