At the risk of sounding like an ad for bikes direct, here goes...

The Coda Elite is a nice bike. In fact, they are all nice bikes. If you're looking for road gearing you may look for a flat bar road bike or a cross bike. Specifically, if you want those gears and disc brakes check out the Motobecane Fantom Cross outlaw. It's a mostly Tiagra equipped 18 sp ride with Avid mechanical disc brakes. For $895 to your door you can't beat it. You could even swap out the drops, throw some flats on, sell the shifters on e-bay and come out ahead. I did that with a Moto Fantom Cross and I love it. I only wish now that I had gone with the Titanium Rival equipped version or steel one... the SRAM would have been easier to swap trigger shifters with and the rail trails that I ride can be a little bone jarring with aluminum frame.

The steel framed SRAM Fantom is less at $800, Nashbar has a nice 105 equipped steel ride for $800, and BD has another aluminum Rival ride for $999. All of these look to have fender mounts and would make great commuters.

A little note, you should be handy enough to do some adjustments on the drivetrain and brakes when you receive it (or be OK to take it to your local shop).

Good luck and ride safe.