Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,625
Likes: 40
From: South of Raleigh, North of New Hill, East of Harris Lake, NC
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Specialized Roubaix, Giant OCR-C, Specialized Stumpjumper FSR, Stumpjumper Comp, 88 & 92Nishiki Ariel, 87 Centurion Ironman, 92 Paramount, 84 Nishiki Medalist
Based on your usage, take a look at a Trek 820. It has a steel, chromoly frame that flexes a little more than aluminum, better for commuting, road riding, but it still has a basic hardtail geometry. At 290 MSRP it's within your price range. You might find a better hardtail in your price range, but the 820 is a good all around bike.
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