Hybrid/cross/urban assault bike opinion WTD

Hey all:

I'm looking for a good multipurpose (hybrid, urban./commuter, cross) bike to ride on the lousy michigan roads. I'll be doing about 70% pavement (if you want to call potholes, freeze cracks, rebar showing through and ashphalt patchwork, pavement) and the balance on gravel shoulders, rail trails and the occasional singletrack cut through.

I'm a seasoned road biker (Marin Stelvio/Campy Record all around) and triathlete, but need a swiss pocketknife style bike to round out my more utilitarian riding.

I've done some research and have narrowed it down to a few choices and was wondering of anyone has any input or experience with these machines.

First group: Front suspension or head shock

Gary Fisher Utopia - Street price = $750
http://www.fisherbikes.com/bike/model/utopia

Cannondale Bad Boy Ultra - Street Price = $1200
http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/08/cusa/model-8BS.html


Second Group: Rigid Fork

Gary Fisher Mendotta (carbon fork) - Street Price - $900
http://www.fisherbikes.com/bike/model/mendota

Gary Fisher Cronus (steel fork) - Street Price - $650
http://www.fisherbikes.com/bike/model/cronus

If anyone also has any MUST TRY recommendation, I'm all ears.

Thanks in advance.

 

FWIW. If I were in the market for a do-it-all bike, the one that continues to tickle-my-fancy is the RALEIGH XXIX ... the XXIX can use any size 700c tire ... up to 700x58 ... but, for pavement I'd use something between 700x28-to-700x42.

I don't think that suspension is necessary for pavement, so I would probably get the "bare" single speed version + a rear derailleur hanger that is used on the geared version & put on my own road group -- of course, you could get the geared version (XXIX+G) ... if I got a XXIX+G, I would probably move the RockShox REBA suspension fork to one of my dust covered MTB frames & put a solid fork on the XXIX frame, drop bars, etc.

As far as the other bikes you've mentioned, I would exclude the Cannondale Bad Boy (someone I know has one) for aesthetic reasons because it's front end just looks so awkward to me (the Headshok may be a great OR it may be an idea that Cannondale should let die gracefully) ... the Bad Boy has the look of an over-sized, suspensionless downhill bike on skinny tires. Having said all of that, it's probably a great ride ... enough people are buying them for Cannondale to continue to offer them.