I'm selling my pick up. and looking to buy a bike. I like the concept of the cyclo cross, but I know NOTHING about bikes. What should I be looking for? I want something for primary transportation around town, 50 mile trips on the road, and some off road. If you have any advice, it would be much appriciated.
Thanks,
-Jason

if your going to be riding on road 50 miles and in town, i owuld tell you to get a road bike. BUT i know nothing about road bikes so.......i guess i cant help :(

Have a look at the Bianchi Volpe. Its a general purpose road bike, good for trails, and can handle luggage pretty well. Its not all that lightweight, but the concept is good and its a lot of bike for the price. Lightspeed make a titanium version of this style at triple the price.

If you can spend more than $800, then a touring bike might be a good idea. They are more robust and practical than road racing bikes, and can handle off road trails that are not too technical. Trek, Canondale, Fuji, REI and Bruce Gorden make this style of bike.

For all weather utility riding you need fenders, a luggage rack, and at least 2 water bottle mounts. Many cyclo-cross bikes lack threaded eyelets to fit these features.

Hi, welcome to cycling!
You might try a Hybrid. They are good on the road, with the larger 700C wheels, and you can vary the width of the tire to suit your riding. They have a more upright seating position more like a mountain bike but you can always put on aerobars (handle bar accesory that gives you a lower profile over the bike, reducing wind resistance) for your road trips. The frames are usually built a little stronger and heavier than a road bike. Several models come with front suspension and/or suspension seat posts. You can also get them with fairly high end drive components. Trek and Giant have models like these, and I'm sure other manufacturers do as well. It's a good way to get into cycling if you're not sure exactly what you want at first.

Yeah I would definetly go with a hybrid. Road bikes probably wouldn't do any good off road, and Mountain bikes can be annoying on the road. My mom has a Trek 800 that is a hybrid, and it is a great bike for street and off road. You should try MTBR.com and see what some people who have bought a hybrid are saying about them.

Go for a Hybrid, but the component you should go for a shimano 600 STI or a Campy Daytona,, I am suggesting these groupo, coz, you don't want to be upgrading your new bike once you have learn to love your bike, these is always happening, people will, buy a bike for the first time then they keep on upgrading the bike, they end up having one bike with a complete spare groupo, set your eyes on a really good bike, so you wont be upgrading it for a long time

Try some stuff- maybe get somthin' used until you figure out what works best for you. A cyclocross as you mentioned would be cool, the "drop' bar will give you more hand positions- a handy thing to prevent numbness and fatigue.
I prefer road bikes myself, but when I started that was it. I even ride 'em in the dirt once and a while.
I don't know that hybrids would be a good idea, a mtn bike will do anything they can and more, they're stronger too. Put some smooth tires on and they go pretty good.

I suggest you get a super dopa PLANET - X dual frame and built your bike on your own !!! (If that`s not possible , get your frame to the LBS)