It sounds like you are leaning towards touring or cyclo cross bikes. Touring wise you have the Surly LHT, Cannondale T2, Trek 520, and Jamis Aurora. Cyclocross wise you have The Surly CrossCheck and Specialized Tricross. This is not an exhaustive list by any means and i'm sure other posters will come up with other manufacturers like Thorn and Kona. Either way I'd start my search by looking at those bikes. However, ride as many as you can before deciding. Also, make sure your wife gets the bump in salary before purchasing.