Department store bikes are what they are. Cheep crap period. There are different types of quality bikes for a reason. You are not going to find a magic bike. But as you are going into winter I would suggest a Trek 7200. Its a hybrid. A cyclocross bike would work too. You dont have to buy new, get a used one. Then start saving your pennys for a nice road bike. A Trek 1000, 1200, or 1500. Unless you got cash for a Madone 5.2. In my opinion stay away from Giant. They're going down the same road Shwinn did. One of our local LBS terminated his contract with Giant. He was getting to many complants and problems from patrions of shoddy craftmanship on the Giants. The owner told me. They make a lot of frames for department store bikes and the quality of the bikes has gone down hill.