Originally Posted by syncro87

Sounds like you want an all rounder. A bike that can do a little of everything.

I've looked at two such bikes lately that intrigued me. The Specialized AWOL and the Salsa Vaya. The key appeal to me, of those bikes, is that they are steel and are versatile.

A more road oriented bike that I can't find in stock locally, but on paper appeals to me a lot is the Jamis Coda line.

Some of your goals above strike me as a little bit contradictory. For instance, you like the look of cool wheels with fewer spokes. Agreed, they look cool. Keep in mind that unless you have a bazillion dollars, in general the more spokes you have, the stronger the wheel. If you're going any off road, especially enough off road to need suspension, you are going to want high spoke count, aesthetics be darned.

I see 4 things you want to do. Three of them take one kind of bike, the fourth takes a different kind of bike. That tells me that 3/4 of your time will be on road or on an improved bike trail. So, I would buy a bike that had 75% of it's strengths on road.

You might consider a cyclocross bike. Kind of a mix.

Get out there and sit on some bikes and ride some bikes. You'll then get an idea of what you like, and can narrow the field down a little bit.

Brakes. You'll find a lot of people prefer rim brakes and a lot like disc brakes. They both have pros and cons. The discs look cool but don't automatically assume they are smart for you. They primarily are of use in wet weather. Discs stop better when wet than rim brakes. Ask yourself, how often will I ride in rain? If you say almost never, then consider whether discs are a must have for you. Discs can be more finicky than rim brakes, too, so maybe a disadvantage.

Keep in mind general rules. These are not hard and fast, but are generalities. Steel or carbon is smoother than aluminum. Rim brakes are less fussy than disc brakes. Higher spoke counts mean stronger wheels. No suspension is better than cheap low quality suspension. You pay more for lighter weight. You get what you pay for.

Best way I can say it is decide what things are your priorities, and what things you don't care about. Go sit and demo ride some bikes. Try to play devils advocate with yourself if you get too hot on one particular bike, and take a step back. You'll find what you are drawn to.

A company named Surly makes some cool bikes, steel. If you have a dealer near you, check them out. Bikes like the Ogre, Troll, etc might be good options for you in addition to those I've mentioned.

I know only enough to be dangerous. 80% of the forum is smarter than me. See if you can find an AWOL and a Vaya around your area to eyeball.

Oh, noticed that you are fortunate to live in a town with an REI store. Good place to look at a bunch of bikes. Fantastic return policy. If you get the wrong bike there, you can exchange it. Can't say that at many stores. Might be a big thing to consider in your case. I'd drop by and take a look around.