It doesnt seem a bad bike for pootling around town, but its quite expensive. I ride Alivio, and it works, but you'd expect better.
The sus fork is a waste of money and adds to reliability problems. The integrated lock is another waste of space.
The riding position is a bit upright for an experienced roadie.
If you ride drop bars, then a cx, or light touring/sport bike would be a better idea.
A few people mentioned hub gears. These are good bits of kit, but are usually supplied on heavy, cumberson cruiser style bikes. Fit them to an old light-tourer with H dropouts, and you will fly.
The best commuter bikes are usually custom built on an old frame. The term "beater bike" usually refers to a crappy bike, but the UK term "hack bike" better expresses the idea of good-enough components on a fine old frame.