Cross bike, older model. Try specialized or felts.

Post a photo of the bike in question. The four corners is a good option if it is in your price range. It may feel heavy and more upright compared to a road bike, but that could be advantageous with commuting and rough gravel riding.

I'm more used to a low road bike. How does this bar height affect your riding style?

I know, I know, beauty is in the ... I wouldn't, but that's absolutely FWIW

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...-disc/p/21572/ unless I way miss my guess these are now $500 until they are all gone.

You still pedal normally. It will just feel more like a truck due to the geometry. You can always use the drops to get a lower position.

So just less playfulness regarding the steering then?

Wider steering and slower to get up to speed are the main things I notice when riding a light touring bike. This is comparing it to an endurance road bike, not a race one.

Yeah. How does the bar height make it harder to get up to speed though?

It's the longer chainstay and wheelbase that makes it feel that way on my bikes.

If you're buying a Marin Four Corners for speed then you're looking at the wrong bike. It's a steel adventure touring bike with attachments for fenders and racks, that's very similar to a Specialized AWOL or a Surly Straggler. It's rugged and tough for offroad gravel road type touring or general riding and makes an excellent commuter or urban allrounder.

The upright position? Yeah, it's going to be a slower ride than you would get on a pure road bike with a slammed stem due to aerodynamics. Like I say above, though, it's not a bike whose primary purpose is going fast. Its purpose is to carry a rider and the rider's gear on paved and unpaved roads.

I have a Specialized AWOL (initially designed by the same designer as the Four Corners when he was at Globe, the Specialized urban brand) as my only bike and I couldn't be happier. The geometry is virtually identical to the Four Corners and I use mine for everything except racing, basically.

Honestly, you've got such a laundry list of all the things you want this bike to be good for that I think you're really unlikely to meet it with less than two bikes at the sub-$500 level.

You have an aggressive geometry road bike and an enduro mountain bike, but you arent sure how geometry affects riding?
mmm...

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/arx-2-2018

As close as I can find to sub 500.00

https://denver.craigslist.org/bik/d/...036203958.html

What do you guys think of this one? I know it doesn't have my previously stated requirements, but it is in my price range. Are cantilever brakes good? Are they similar to normal v-brakes?

That seems a bit too much money for that bike in that condition., but I don't know your local market. Otherwise it looks good if it fits.

I find brakes like that work ok, but need frequent adjustment.

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I would buy that bike. IMO (thinking like a seller) I wouldn't price it any lower. Why? Because, as it is, after haggling, sale price is going to be around $400 - $450. If I list it at a more buyer friendly price ... buyer is going to haggle anyway, now what? Assuming the fork is in good shape (recent carbon fork thread comes to mind) you have a decent bike on your hands. Google it. It gets great reviews. I personally prefer V-brakes and the only two bikes I ever bought with canti's I changed to V's from go. My preferred V's are Shimano LX-V's (on sale). OTOH the Giant another poster linked is a lot of bike for $500. The odd size tires will limit ultimate speed and tire choices but Giants have a lifetime frame warranty. You have to buy through an LBS and having a dealer relationship via a brand new bike IMO is worth it if you are not inclined to do your own wrenchin'.

I enjoy working on my bike. What do you guys think of this? https://denver.craigslist.org/bik/7056745542.html
I know I shouldn't have, but the price was such a long shot. So I suggested 500, and he countered with 550. I'm probably stuck at this price now right?

$550 seems like a fair price for the bike if it checks out. Can you test ride it?