Originally Posted by fogrider
a nice steel bike...I would always recommend the ritchey, which I use as my winter bike. If I were to do it again, I would get a break-away.
Wow talk about different areas of the country. IMO this is TERRIBLE advise. Go with a sttel bike to ride on salty roads? A Breakaway will get salt and other garbage in the joints. Yuck. But I am from central PA and you are from SF, different road condtions for sure.
For a recomendation I will second the Specialized Sirrus. My wife has one and they fit the things you are looking for. I do like the dics brakes too. My current bike for commuting and slopping also fits the bill, it is a Marin Mill Valley. Compact AL frame, canti brakes and fits big tires. Click the link in my sig for specs of the 2003 which I have, I got it off eBay for $468 shipped so not a bad deal either.