Hi!
I've been trying to decide on a new hybrid/fitness/commuter. My husband is a quite a biker, and I want every edge I can to keep up with him, esp up those hills and over some distances, but I also want comfort or I won't be inclined to head out in the first place. I'm pretty new to biking, and I've gotten some really good advice on this from some other threads, incl one I posted. I see that a lot of you commuters seem to be talking about bikes with these components, so let me ask you! I'm tested a bunch of bikes and decided I want something like a Giant Cypress meets Specialized Sirrus. Basically, I found the Cypress too sluggish, especially uphill, and (and the women's model I tried was TOO upright and cramped, though I think the men's would be fine), and I don't think I cared about the front suspension fork. I loved the speed and agility of the Sirrus, the Giant FCR, and a couple others like those, but they just weren't as comfortable (for me, a newbie). Also, those were a little too expensive ($500 +) for me. I'm hoping there is some other brand/make or something I haven't tried...? So, any advice for:

-around $400, give or take a little
-upright, but not necessarily quite as granny-upright as the Cypress.
-700c tires (as I want speed and ease, and I'll be primarily or only on roads)
-suspension seatpost-yes
-pretty big, comfy saddle (but I can just get a new saddle like that for almost any bike, right?)
-NO front suspension fork (b/c from what I read this just adds to weight and sucks up energy up hills, for little return if you're on paved surfaces, which I will be)
-fast, light, agile, like the Specialized Sirrus or Giant FCR
-something I can definitely put a rear fender and child seat mount on.

I'm happy to get something and swap out some of the components, if in the end it can still be around say, $425... Is that possible?

Also, I have seen the Trek 7.2 FX online, and it seems (the 7.2 only) has a suspension seatpost. But, it looks a little less upright than I'd like in the pictures, and it looks to have more of a road bike saddle. This is a very obvious and ignorant question, but couldn't I just get a big ole saddle and raise the handlebars a little? Is the flat handlebar design less comfy than the granny shaped ones (riser bars??)? Anyone who's tried one: how quick and light is the 7.2 FX? My LBS didn't have one...

And finally, I see online that the Giant Cypress ST, the cheapest one, DOESN'T have front suspension, though it is "high tensile steel" instead of aluminum. I'm wondering if this would likely feel slower or faster than the other Cypresses, given the trade off. Thoughts?

Thanks so much!