I think I may be interested in a hybrid or a touring. I would like the skinnier tires. But I still want to retain a low maintenance lifestyle.

I should correct myself. While this is my primary commuting transportation, I don't do snow and ice. Thankfully, these conditions are rare. However, the junk they call gravel, when they gravel the roads due to ice, is more like sharks teeth. I get more flats from that junk than anything else. Even with my Armadillos.

Tell me about disk brakes. What is maintainace like on these? Is there a significant benifite for the extra $$?