For 5 miles pretty much anything will work. I used a super relaxed cruiser for a similar distance. I liked it, it did the job, but eventually moved to road bikes.
But buy the bike you'll want to ride every day. For as cheap as possible. Because after a year of riding every day, what you want out of a bike will probably be different than what you want right now.
I like racks because I don't like my backpack getting all sweaty while I'm riding. But rack vs backpack/messenger bag is a topic as dangerous as politics and religion.
With flat terrain, I would probably just buy a single speed/fixed for commuting and save my money for a nice touring bike to take on trips.
Originally Posted by
bikemig
A number of different bikes can work for commuting but if you want a bike that's good for commuting and long distance riding with a budget of $600, I'd look for a cross style bike. The drop bars are a big plus in long rides. The fat tires really help in commuting.
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I would go for a gravel bike instead of cross. Or if cross, one with lots of tire clearance. A bit more versatility with the wider tires. But I wish I had bought a cross bike instead of a road bike, for sure.