Neither of those bikes sound that fun to me, The 520 and the LHT are nice but, for a less than two mile commute, I would spend alot less and get something a bit less purpose built. If you just ride it for your commute and the occasional weekend ride, you might be happier with something lighter, quicker. If you do fall in love with riding, you likely will change your mind on what you like, and wonder if the $1500 was worth it. Honestly componet wise, very few people actually wear things out, they just get bored and change out componets.

Then again, Im getting old and cheap. In my youth I wanted the newest and shinniest. After I got hit on my Trek 400 (very entry level road bike) I got my brand new, just came out Trek 2000. Nice bike, but I liked my 400 better and it was a third the cost when it was all done. The 2000 made people look, but other than that, for me, the value liekly wasnt there.

Not being a scrooge, but there are lots of bikes that may be cheaper and do the job as well, leaving you room for more equipment/clothes and the option of upgrading to something else once you really determine your riding wants and needs.