Originally Posted by badkarma
I would highly recommend not getting anything even around $1000 and using it for riding around the city and locking it up. These bikes are mainly training bikes, not commuters. Perhaps consider getting yourself something in the $800-$900 range, and then check craigslist or some other means for older used bikes which you can use for commuting (even consider a fixie). I don't think I know anyone who locks up their nice bikes.
+100 !!! If you want a nice $1000 to $1500 bike ... great!! Get it ... but I wouldn't recommend EVER using it in such a way as to trust it being locked or secured outdoors in such a way as you describe.
So, get a used bike or lower-end bike for say ... $500 and use for what you describe in your original post. But, get another bike for $1000 or so and ride on regular rides where you can keep it in your home or keep it safe.
Just my .002