Originally Posted by puckett129

I've got a Soma Smoothie and love it. It can easily handle fenders and 25's and will probably accommodate 28's with fenders too. It's got sloping geometry unlike the Pacer, and it may be slightly more aggressive than the Casseroll. SRAM rival componentry and Apex shifters should work nicely. They may take a little getting used to if you're used to Shimano (with two levers to shift instead of one), but most people have no problem with it. I have heard SRAM shifting described as "intuitive" and I have to agree. In your price range I must say you should check out the Moto Gren Premio. Many people, including myself, have had good luck and found great deals at bikes direct. This one offers wide gearing and decent components and comes in well under your limit. It's very likely similar to another bike already on the market in terms of geometry, but I can't figure out which one. It sounds like it's right up your alley in terms of what you are looking for.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...remio_xiii.htm

Here's my Smoothie...