Originally Posted by
Shadoninja
...
I do like mountain biking. So you are suggesting buy a bike for the trails and double it as a commute bike 5x a week? Will 15 miles of road riding every week wear out a set of trail tires?
YES I want a mountain bike too! Someone else said to buy whatever and then use it for the commute since the ride isn't that long. If people agree with this suggestion, I will take that approach. ...
Yes, that is exactly what I suggest!
The 15 miles of road riding won't wear out your trail tires. In fact they'll probably last longer, and the lower pressure tires will be more comfortable over any rough stuff. You won't be worried about maximizing your speed on the 1.5 mile commute, which is the main point of road tires.
And buying something to go along with your new job is the perfect reason to get the kind of bike you want. Just bear in mind that the first bike you buy is learning what you want for when you buy your second bike, so I advise against splurging too much. But that's not hard and fast either - some do splurge on the first bike and don't regret it.