I agree about the Bianchi. Buy it but don't ride it to work! Then you will need to search for another bike for commuting!

I work in DC where bike theft is frequent. Fortunately it is a Government building. The racks are outside but under a protected area from the weather (the third floor is bigger than the entrance). The unfortunate part is that they will not allow bikes in the building, even the parking garage where there is a ton of space. I feel secure locking my bike there because it blends in with all the others which are newer with many more desirable than mine.

If you have pride of ownership in terms of keeping your bike looking good. You will have a problem finding a bike not to care about! Mine is a RockHopper I bought new with the intent of it being a beater. It wasn't beat and now it is only 3 years away from being 20 years old. It is a good commuter in a lot ways, physically challenging (near 50 lbs. loaded on the way home), big tires for suspension, very effective fenders and nearly enough room to mount a bell, computer and light on the handlebars. I mounted a rack for the trunk bag and thats it.

See if there is a bike that doesn't attract attention. Trek 900 series are a dime a dozen but still a good bike for commuting. Outfit it to your needs and lock it up with a respectable lock and think about loosing it and accepting that fact. That way every day after work you will feel great that your bike is still there!

Can't help it, got add a pic to this thread even though it is in a ton of other threads:[IMG][/IMG]