Sorry Hachi, you're right. I should have been more specific. All companies make high end and low end components. SRAM does make cheap stuff and they also make good stuff, just like Shimano and Campy.

As for fit, have you ridden a few bikes? I have to assume not, because your point "a" is wayyyyyyyyyy off. I'm not saying it is perfect, but if you get on a Surly Crosscheck and then get on a Breezer and ride both for 10 minutes, you will know right away which one you prefer. Then you get on a few of the style you like and figure out your size for each brand. Each brand is different. A 54 is not always the same, nor is a "L". You need to ride them to know. Once you know a bike you like (lets assume it was the Crosscheck), then you go to the bikes website and see what the geometry is on the bike...how long is the top tube, the headtube, what are the angles, etc. Once you know this, you can compare apples to apples.

Good luck. I'm not saying LBS's are perfect. They want to sell stuff just like websites do. However, if you take the human doing the sales out of the equation, you still get the benefit of riding the bikes at the LBS. This is important for a 1st time buyer. If you find your dream bike and think the LBS is ripping you off, by all means, go on line and see if you can find a better deal...but don't expect the LBS to treat you equally when you bring in your online bike and ask for advice on a repair. If you can do the repairs yourself, GREAT, but first figure out the geometry that works for you.

Having said that, your commute is 2 miles...less than 10 minutes...why not go to Walmart and buy a crap bike for $100. Then, if it gets stolen, who cares?