Mercier Kilo tt or Windsor the hour from bikesdirect.com. If your budget is around $450 that will leave you some wiggle room to upgrade handlebars,seat and pedals/cages. Kilo WT would be good too if your looking to run tires from 700x28-38's. I own a surly steamroller and it's basically the same type bike as the Kilo WT and its friggin great when it snows here and I can throw on some studded tires and fly threw the snow. Then in the summer the 25's go back on very versatile. I live on the eastcoast too and its good to have a bike that forms to whatever kind of riding you want to do.