I'm starting an out-of-town work assignment in a few months, and I intend to buy a buy an inexpensive bike for my just-under-5-mile commute. I've settled on this:

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...ington1_IX.htm

I like having gears, as there will be a little bit of a hill to climb to get back to my apartment, and I hope to do a little bit of touring on the weekends. I've chosen this bike because it has the old-fashioned stem shifters - I currently ride a bike with bar end shifters (Surly LHT) and love them for their reliability.