I have been commuting on my 2011 soho dlx since December. So far I love it. My commute is 7.5 miles each way. Florida is flat as a pancake, so not much in the way of hills. So far, it has been pretty maintenance free. I had to tension the belt once but it was pretty easy. It looks easier on the 2011 than the older models. I haven't had to change a flat yet, but I added the required tools into my bag. I have an Ortlieb downtowner pannier and it mounts great on the Bontrager rack.