Quote Originally Posted by obie View Post
I commute on a Specialized Hard Rock from 1994, with rack and fenders and slicks. It has front shocks which I like. It's a really bombproof bike for city-riding, and I see a lot of others around and they have a good reputation for being indestructible. So if you're going used, look for early/mid 90s Specialized bikes - they were still steel then.

I have a cross bike which I've considered commuting on, but I'm too lazy to add fenders to it SDER
Ohmygoodness, you just described almost my exact commuting bike situation, only my Hard Rock is from like 2000, and it's an aluminum frame. That thing is a beast to haul up stairs, though. I even have the cross bike, but I did put fenders on it and use it in the summer.

Let me contribute my own anecdotal evidence the indestructible thing. I rode my Hard Rock all winter last winter in Massachusetts, never once wiping off the road crud, cleaning the chain, or otherwise maintaining it. I left it outside (covered) every day. It has a few little corrosion spots, but otherwise, it's in great shape. Amazing.