Simco-

Look seriously into a used bike- save treating yourself to a nice bike for when you know what you really want, how you're going to use it (more a question of riding style than whether or not you're commuting or riding primarilyon roads, etc.). Also, While I'm really good at wheelie(ing) and bunny hopping curbs, a suspension fork can help a lot with surmounting curbs while you learn your skills.

A good condition, reasonably fitting garage sale bike, tuned up a the local bike shop, will serve you fine for the first 500 miles of commuting at a fraction of the price, and you can get a new bke that you love to ride when you get your kinks figured out. As I've said to other beginners, too bad you're not in Denver, I've got a bike I'd let you have.

BTW- My daily commuter, and the bike I would use for longer urban rides if I chose to make them, and the bike I've been using the most for the last 13 or 14 years of riding is a Trek 930 mountain bike- rigid fork, hard tail, older front and rear der's, friction shifters from an '84. It's reliable, easy to adjust and keep in tune, and has thousands of miles on it. I'm about to go get my kids (with the trailer that is now conected full-time) on it right now. Can't be beat.