Hi everyone,

I've been looking into commuting to and from work this summer on a bike. I have searched the threads and think that I'll be looking into a Cyclocross bike, but I wanted to make a new thread specific to my needs to ask the opinions of all you more experienced riders.
The specifics of my commute are that it is about a 45 minute ride, covering approximately 13km. There are two - three decent sized hills that I will have to commute through. Also, I live in Canada, so the roads aren't exactly perfect. Near the end of my commute this season, the last kilometer or so will be gravel, as they're planning to tear up the roads.
I'm looking to spend no more than $1000 on a bike and am wonder if there are about 3 bikes that I could choose from to suit my needs? Let me know what you all think and any advice that you could give to a beginner!