In that price range, I'm not sure BD is that great of a deal. You might save a few bucks up front, but unless you build the bike and tune it up yourself, chances are the small amount of savings is going to get eaten up in labor at the LBS quickly. Not to mention the free service down the road (and often discounts on accessories) that your LBS may provide when buying a bike there.

I would check out the Specialized Sirrus as well... of all the "hybrid bikes" I have tried, it was the most fun to ride. But beyond looks and some very minor ride differences, there is very little that separates bikes at that level. They are fairly basic aluminum frames, pretty equal components, and very similar weight. I would pick the bike that comes from the LBS you like and trust the most to take care of you down the road, because honestly that will probably make more difference than which specific brand it is.

With either the 7.1FX or Sirrus, I think the sweet spots are the second level up (7.2FX, ~$550 - cassette vs. freewheel, 8sp vs. 7sp, better frame - alpha black is nicer than alpha white) and the $1000 level (7.5FX, carbon fork, deore/LX components). I'd probably pass on the 7.3 (~$700) for no major improvements, just a slight component bump. The 7.1FX are great if it leaves you room for other stuff you need (fenders, racks, lights, etc.), but just looking at the bikes themselves, I think the jump to 7.2 is definitely worth it.