Going completely mad trying to choose a bike - PLEASE HELP!

[lph]

I would get the lightest bike I could afford that I felt really comfortable on. A light bike is a joy to ride and handle, if it fits otherwise. But lightweight costs. Personally I don't care much about colour - I have had bikes I adored the colour of, and I've had bikes that are ugly as sin. The ones that rode best were the ones I ended up using most. And you can always paint it yourself if the colour really annoys you.

Don't worry too much about steel making your bike too heavy. There are many things that can make a bike heavy, and a steel frame is just one of them. If you're considering adding a rack, panniers etc, that will make much more of a difference than steel vs alu, especially if it's just a fork. Steel does ride well, but alu rides fine too, especially if you don't have much weight on your hands.

My everyday bike for the uses you're suggesting is an ancient Kona Cinder Cone mountain bike, thin steel frame, flat bars slightly lower than the seat, no suspension, not very knobby mtb tires with a smooth strip down the middle, fenders and lights but no rack or support. It's lighter and faster than many hybrid bikes out there. My road bike is of course a lot lighter and more nimble, but nowhere near as comfortable for all-round use and duelling with the local bus traffic.

PS. I would never buy a low step-through, not for an experienced rider wanting a quick bike. The design of the frame makes the bike a lot heavier and the brakes softer.