Originally Posted by
Devingirl
Well, I'm not opposed to a road bike, but didn't want to be limited in terms of terrain. For example, coming across cobblestone, mud, sand, etc. I certainly won't be seeking this out, but I don't want to have to worry too much about handling this. Ideally, I would like to stick near the $800 range, however I'm willing to make the investment for the right bike that best suites my needs.
A country bike is always the ticket. You said you have to go fast? As you quickly can get up to cruising speed, you can enjoy your surroundings whether on a fire road or in town. And even when we are fit, let's face it, we're not training to win the Tour De France. A Novara Divano is close to your budget and it has a relaxed frame geometry, an upright position, can accept fenders and fatter tires, has a triple crankset for the hils, has disk brakes and you can go to the grocery store or hit the trails. The Marin Muirwoods 29er does much the same thing and allows you to fit monster tires for a really floaty ride. So you don't have to be limited in terms of tire choices or where you want to ride with your bike. That's your decision.