fast

I live in London and need to replace my ageing and worn out bicycle, a Ridgeback Comet, that I have had and used heavily since 2005. I use the bicycle almost exclusively for commuting (circa 15km each way), and like to ride quite fast, although also need to be able to carry panniers which are...

I'm looking for recommendations for bikes and components for a FAST bike I can abuse on crappy city streets and some gravel/dirt roads. I will use occasionally as a commuter so I don't want to dump a lot of money into it. I'm thinking $700ish top. Specifically, I'm looking for suggestions...