Originally Posted by
SlimRider
If you're going to get the Cannondale Quick 3.0, then get that one from rei.com. It'll cost you $850, but that's a bargain, nonetheless!
OTOH, you can buy a Jamis Coda, an upright chromoly steel hybrid, that will last you for the rest of your life. It can take on a vast range of tire width sizes, and is prepared for both rack and fender installations. It's agile, durable, and easy to accelerate. It was hybrid of the year, according to Bicycling magazine of 2011. If you get the Coda Comp at $775, it will most certainly prove to be more versatile than either of the other two bicycles that you're currently considering. However, you can't lose with those two, either...There all great bikes!
The absolute best hybrid deal of all times on the market right now at the regular MSRP, is the Jamis Coda Elite at your current pricepoint!
The Jamis Coda Elite ~ $1050
www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/street/coda/12_codaelite.html
Most bikes can take a range of tire widths, no? The Cannondale Quick 4 is Bycycling Magazine's Hybrid of the Year for 2012, and the Quick 3 and 2 are even nicer. Have you tried these bikes, SlimRider? And what do you mean by more versatile?
OP, the Specialized Allez, for a decent, more upright road bike. Base price is in the $700s, so you could upgrade to better components if you want. Cannondale Synapse also. Both have carbon forks, I believe, as does the Cannondale Quick 3 and 2.