Commuting bike for around $600

My awful, awful Huffy MTB bought from EBay for $70 is no more, so I need to upgrade!

I'm tossing up between the Kona Dew Plus 08, the Smoke 2-9 08 and the Scott Sportster P5 - mainly used for general commuting around Melbourne, road, bike path, that sort of thing. Not really off-road - the ocassional bit of gravel and grass perhaps.

At the moment I'd only be riding about 10km a day, plus maybe a bit on the weekend, but hopefully that'll increase as I get fitter! What are the standout differences between these bikes for that sort of use?

I only have a budget of about $600, maybe stretching a bit higher for very good reason. Are there other bikes I should consider?

I'm about 185cm, 110Kg.

Cheers

So I'm told - Road bikes are way easier than MTB's. I personalyl wouldn't know but yea.Why not drop into your LBS and have a chat?!

Yeah, I've done a bit of that, but as always you get conflicting advice - particularly when they don't stock all the same brands. For example, my two closest - the one that stocks Kona doesn't stock Avanti, and vice-versa. And anyway, advice is always more useful from people who aren't trying to sell you something!

hahA INDEED.. Try posting your question in the "thread about nothing" the lads usually sit in there.. and ignore me but still they have some brilliatn advice

Thanks for that Ms Merida, I'll do that - I'll post some links to the bikes here too, just in case anyone stops by

Kona Smoke
Kona Dew Plus
Scott Sportster P5

Any other suggestions appreciated!

I've been riding a Giant Innova for a couple of years and found it very good for the 15 km commute I do.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-AU/...le/1136/28959/

FWIW. Of the three, I'd get the Kona Smoke ... because it has a CroMo steel frame ... and, is pretty straight forward. It may weight more than the Dew Plus, or not.

If the Kona Smoke actually comes with fenders as standard equipment, then that would be another reason since it theoretically saves you about $40+ ...

I'm neutral on disc brakes ... and, they may be over-kill for the kind of riding you will be doing (do you ride in the rain a lot?) ... so, I don't count the disc brakes as a 'plus' on the Dew Plus ... but, you may.

I wouldn't get the Scott because (and, this may not be a good reason) it has a front suspension fork ... on an in-city bike it is dead weight ... and, the "suspension" fork is barely adequate for any place that you may ride where you would want the benefits of a suspension fork.

I live in Melbourne, it never rains! But if it rains, it rains, I still have to get to work! Wasn't sure about the Scott for that self-same reason of the suspension, though didn't think it was worth ignoring for it...

That brings up a related question - are brands any sort of a guide with bikes? Or is it really a matter of components? Take computer motherboards for instance - same brand, different model, one can be fantastic, the other crap, often not even with much price difference. Some are upgradeable (that is, have good quality but 'switched down' components/frame), some go nowhere. Usually, the brand is relevant, but not vital.

Is there the same thing with bikes? For example, Kona and Scott both make (as far as I can tell!) decent top-end bikes, and Giant is a bit of a slapdash - can be good, can be bad, often rebranded. Is that a good reason to go for one over the other at this price range?