I looked at a ton of bikes. Can't remember them all. Honestly, the only ones I actually RODE were the Konas. It was love at first pedal! The geometry just suited me so well, I lost interest in continuing to look.

I like the fact that it is a sturdy, simple bike. The components are basic and trustworthy. There is no suspension to mess with. It's meant to be ridden hard and stand up to rougher conditions than a speedy road bike. (it's based on a cyclocross bike, the Kona Jake and Jake the Snake) That means its a bit heavier and slower than a speedy road bike. There is always a trade off!

The frame is "bombproof" according to the guys at my LBS. I can change components and upgrade all I want, the frame will still be worthy. It's an aluminum frame with a steel fork. A nice combination for an all-weather commuter. I have a Brooks B67 saddle on it, and the springs on the saddle dampen out the road buzz. It handles well even with two loaded panniers on the back rack.

The gearing gives a great range. The mega-granny gear is a 26t front with a 34t rear (which means one revolution of the pedals isn't even one full revolution of the rear wheel). This is more than adequate even for the Evil Hill of Doom on my commute.

I like upright bars for commuting. (on longer rides they become tiring) Bikes I use for longer rides (30+ miles) have always had drop bars. Except for my recumbent, but that's a unique case!

As far as touching the ground: I broke myself of that habit years and years ago. I don't even try to touch the ground. Just got on my Kona, and my toes can touch just fine while I'm in the saddle, but that's not the way I ride. If I'm planning to touch the ground my butt comes off the seat first and I lower myself to the ground by standing on one pedal.

I will admit I had some political reasons for choosing the Kona brand: they are based here in WA, just a couple hours away. They are fairly small compared to the "big bike companies." They do a lot of work with kids. They provided the bikes for BikeAfrica (AIDS workers). They do a lot of bike advocacy. Actually, I already loved the bike, but the other stuff made me feel even better about buying it!