Kathryn: just as a sidenote, when I got back into biking I "thought" what I wanted was a simple little commuter bike when what I really wanted was a road bike. I now have 2 vintage road bikes but am dreaming of the day I can get a brand new, never-been-used, road bike just for me! My goal is to get the absolute best I can possible afford (or finance) coz I know anything less just won't be enough plus with the miles I put on a bike, it needs to be able to handle it! So I would say: go with the road bike and go with the absolute best you can possibly afford (or finance)......it'll be cheaper in the long run!