Thanks for some great options. The Torker Graduate has the edge at the moment due to its SA 5 speed hub. It's amazing to see all these options out there, as they were much less prevalent even 5 years ago when last I was checking things out.

One concern about the Graduate: do drum brakes really work? My impression of them is perhaps stuck in the past but I have horrid memories of not being able to stop from the few times I've used them....

The AfricaBike and Via also look awesome. The Coffee I'd seen in person and it just didn't grab me for some reason. The 7-speed...well, I really can't get past the external gears, even if the chainguard looks ok.

EasyPeasy - As far as geometry goes, I rather prefer a road geometry. My neck's ok and my back stinks, so I find being less upright to be more comfortable....