I am looking to buy my first new bike in almost 15 years. I have riding off and on throughout that time. I am looking at a hybrid. I am planning on riding mostly on paved roads, but I also want the ability to take my kids on the trails in the local park. I have been trying to establish a list of bikes to source and test ride. Below is what I have come up with. based on your experience can you rank the bikes I have listed. I know I'll choose the one that is the most comfortable for me, but would like a baseline to focus my energies.

Jamis Coda Elite
Specialized Sirrus Comp
Kona Dr. Dew
Cannondale Quick CX
Bianchi Camaleonte 2
Fuji Absolute 1.0/2.0
Felt Speed 50
Scott Sub 20

The one that when you ride it after being reasonably fitted to you feels the best to you.

That said, steel is real and the components are generally better, I'd prefer the Jamis Coda Elite.

Also, the Bianchi Camaleonte 4 and Felt Speed 30 are more comparable bikes with many of the others.

Coda Elite is a very nice bicycle. I have an '07 that has been totally troublefree and a lot of fun to ride. The steel frame and quality of components set it apart from the rest of the pack when I bought mine. Can't speak to any of the others as I have not been on any of them for anything other than a brief test ride and that just the Sirrus.

My Coda Elite (2009) arrived today. Put it together, checked it out, and got in a very short ride before dark. Awesome.

I actually JUST purchased a Fuji Absolute 2.0 and I'm thrilled to have gotten it. I was looking at a Specialized Sirrus Sport but my LBS wouldn't budge on the price of $660. I ended up buying the Absolute 2.0 for $590 after tax and shipping. It has better components, disc brakes, a more road bike feel (subjective), and was overall the better deal. Sure the Sirrus sport road nice and smooth, but the Fuji feels better to me.

Just my .02.

IMHO, Fuji doesn't get enough credit or exposure here. From what I've read it's always "Trek", "Specialized", "Jamis", or "Giant".

I took kind of a shot in the dark as far as Fuji "mentions" in this forum goes and I'm glad I did.

The only thing I liked better about the Sirrus Sport over the Absolute 2.0 was that it didn't have a quick release seatpost clamp. That's all...

Any of those bikes will be good, and as most of the people on here say, get what fits you... Just don't be a fanboy.

I'm a Specialized guy, because they felt the best under me. Everyone is different!

That being said, I really liked a lot of bikes that I rode, even the Trek, Giant, and Fuji.. I seem to be in the minority, as I realy like the ride and feel of Aluminum. The stiffness is very precise, never vague.

You always seem to get more bang for your buck, with Giant, Fuji being close to them. That's because Giant makes their own bikes, and many others.

The Bianchi bikes are always stunning to look at! They just didn't "fit" me.

Lastly, ride as many as you can, and buy the one that feels the best, and trips your trigger - they are all nice bikes.....

As long as you're looking at Scott bikes, why not a Speedster FB?

Isn't the Scott Speedster a road bike?

The FB is for flat bar, they're actually pretty similar to the Coda line, with Aluminum frame. The Speedster without the FB designation is a conventional drop bar road bike. They're definitely more roadified than the Scott SUBurban bikes. Just bought one for GF about 3 weeks ago, she likes it a lot, especially the light weight (compared to her older Giant hybrid)

Well, you are not reading very well then. It is usually always Trek, Trek, Trek here! Everything else gets short shrift, but I suppose that Fuji gets slighted more than most.

I bought a Fuji Absolute 1.0 early this year and I am delighted with mine too. I got a good deal on a 2009 so it does not have the disks. The Absolute 1.0/2.0 are very nearly road bikes and even more so in 2009 and before when they did not have disk brakes. So I would rate the Fuji very highly. As I was looking I was impressed with the Scott and the Cannondale models that the OP mentions too. Another one that appealed strongly to me was the Marin Lombard. The only ones I was able to test ride before I jumped on the Fuji were it and the Scott Sub 20. The Scott rode very well too but I would have had to buy it at REI and the Fuji is nicer. Nothing wrong with REI actually, I'm just pretty loyal to my LBS, the Fuji dealer when he has something that appeals to me as much as anyone else's offerings.

In a strange twist of fate, one of the things that kept me from the Cannondale was that the local REI is not one that carries that brand. My LBS on the other hand picked up Cannondale about two months after I bought the Fuji....

No regrets here though, the Fuji is a great bike. And, I think all of them on the OP's list are. This market is very competitive and that means that all of the reputable brands are very good choices, that is what makes it so hard to choose between them.

Ken

Get a Giant Rapid .... sweet bike.....you'll never look back !

Thanks for everyone's feedback.

I got a chance to test ride a couple bikes over the weekend. Wasn't super impressed with the selection some of the local shops had. Should I contact the store before hand and have them build the right size bike I want to test ride? Makes sense to me but I don't know what is common practice in the industry.

Anyways here is a short summary.

Coda Comp - 21.5"
A bit too big for me, but the only thing in the Coda line the shop had. Next closest Jamis dealer is about an hour away. First time riding a hybrid with the skinny road tires. I found the ride to be very stiff, which lead to some great handling, but I felt every bump and imperfection in the road. I wasn't really prepared when the front tire went up on a small rock then jumped off it a couple inches to the side. Shifting was very smooth. Like I told the shop the front derailleur needed adjustment. I rode for about 3.5 miles and developed numbness in my fingers, which is one of my biggest complaints about my current 15 year old bike.

Camaleonte 1 - Mens Small
May have been a tad small, but I was comfortable. Took this one out on what would be my primary riding scene, suburban streets with a touch of gravel parking lot thrown in for varied terrain. I thought the ride was much smoother than the Coda, but the shifting was clunky. And again the front derailleur needed adjustment, had trouble going up and when I was on the biggest ring and would downshift it would skip down to the smallest ring, very annoying. Handling was good, had great stopping power. I was comfortable in the gravel as well, and on retrospect not so sure I would have like the Coda in the gravel given the rock experience.

I am going to try to find another Jamis dealer with a properly sized bike. In the mean time I found single shop that has Bianchi, Fuji, and Kona. I am going to contact them today to see if I can arrange to test ride my selected models in the proper size back to back.

I am intrigued by the idea of ordering the Code Elite from Bananas. Especially since they just took an additional $100 the 2009. I am semi mechanically inclined. How hard was it to put together? Would I need special tools to get the adjustments right?

Also consider the 2009 Jamis Coda Comp for $600 delivered from Bicycle Bananas. That was a $950 bike when it came out. You will have to put on the seat, handlebars, pedals and front tire. If you have the correct allen wrenches (4mm and 5mm, I believe) and a cresent wrench you're set. When I put mine together the front brake needed some adjustment. For that price you could always take it to a bike shop for a $40 tune up.

I pulled the trigger on the Coda Elite $700 delivered. I got plenty of metric allen and cresent wrenches, should be good to go.

Nice bike! Can you lock out, or adjust out, the suspension seatpost?

I assume you got a 2010?

Those Jamis bikes are the 2009 model and the suspension seatpost is very stiff (I notice no movement at all) and can be adjusted so as to almost not move.

I guess I ordered a week or two early. I paid $800.

I am a moron. Got it together in an hour or so. Of course I put the seat post in backward and could not get the seat adjusted horizontal..Put about 100 miles on before I figured that out. Now, I am peeing strange and in agony, but that is my lack of smarts, not the bike's fault.

The front wheel was separate, the fork, and the bar was separate and the rear duerellier was lose, but adjusted. I think it was all with hex keys, I cannot recall using an adjustable wrench.

Took about 10 days total from order to arrival. Delivery was as stated (on the day) from Reno to NC

I would say the seatpost is rigidly stiff per prior comment. I put on a Allay saddle and put on Ergon grips.

I would also say that if assembly is your biggest concern, get on the phone, or the internet NOW. Assembly is not an issue. At all. And if you have to, go to LBS for a fit...mine quoted $25 to fit the bike. I think they were intrigued, too.

The only disadvantage is that you get what your ordered. I am a little discouraged about my fit, in relation to weight between rear and hands. I could not find one anywhere locally to try, and really went with the results of massive research, including comments on this forum. If I can work out the final weight distribution issue, it will be great. Oh, I am an over 50 clyde, by the way.

I am pleased with the deal, just wish I had not screwed up the seatpost initially...I am really messed up "down there."

Oh yeah, I see you have ordered, but anyway..I think the COMP is an even better deal. I went with the Elite because of tire/wheel issues. I understand the Elite's were a bit better (stronger). If they are not, please dont tell me. That is my story and I am sticking to it!!