Need help picking a hybrid

[Lady Hamilton]

did you ride hills in Vancouver on Cypress?
there is a LX edition now, which is in beautiful silver, and it has a locking suspension. which is kind of awesome. The store has it in XS, I guess I should ride it to see.

[shootingstar]

did you ride hills in Vancouver on Cypress?
there is a LX edition now, which is in beautiful silver, and it has a locking suspension. which is kind of awesome. The store has it in XS, I guess I should ride it to see.

I did. I rode daily for about 5 yrs. Yes of course, hills are unavoidable in Vancouver. Then I got a lighter hybrid bike.

[shootingstar]

Just make sure you don't have bike tires that are too knobbly mountain bike unless you need to cycle often on gravel roads, and rougher path riding etc. several times per week.

I have wider tires for commuting but not mountain bike....tough (to avoid a lot of flats), but won't get caught in street tracks.

[Lady Hamilton]

Just make sure you don't have bike tires that are too knobbly mountain bike unless you need to cycle often on gravel roads, and rougher path riding etc. several times per week.

I have wider tires for commuting but not mountain bike....tough (to avoid a lot of flats), but won't get caught in street tracks.

Yes, the gentleman at the store said he will put tires on Vita that would be good for both packed dirt and tarmac. tires on vita are 700/32, I believe. He said we can go up in size

[TigerMom]

Not to add more items on your list....but how about a Cyclocross bike?

Any used XS cyclocross bikes available on Craigslist/eBay?

[Msquared2]

I have a Specialized Ariel. I've ridden it for 50+ miles at time, thrown 29 x 1.9 knobby tires on it and taken it mountain biking on technical trails, and everything in between. It's heavy, but I've thrown a lot at it and it does fairly well. I commuted on it to work today!

[Lady Hamilton]

Hello ladies.
Sorry, I wasn't here for a few days.
It has been very busy at work, and going to bike shops.
Here I am a week later. At ground zero. With your help, and reading the forum, I learned so mush, maybe too much. Because I still don't know what to do.
Basically, the story goes like this: specialized vita elite is the most beautiful bike there. And this makes me very subjective about other bikes.
Jamis coda is off the list. I would like to buy something locally, and the closest shop selling them is not in my city.
Basically, right now I am trying to decide what to do:
1. Vita elite. they are willing to give me a bit of a discount, which will bring the total to $890. I want to talk her into going down more. to like $860.
2. Giant Escape 1. the specs are very similar to vita elite. Carbon fork, same derailleurs. Very close in weight. vita is a pound lighter. Retail is $639 plus tax, but he will go down.
3. Trek fx 7.3 $709 plus tax, no discount, which brings the price to $801.

This is my short list. I am trying to decide whether Vita is really worth spending THAT much money on. If there is a bike, Giant, with basically the same spec for $200 less.
Vita elite
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bik...itaelite#specs

Giant Escape 1.
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-ca/...specifications

am I missing something? I just don't understand the pricing. why is elite so much more than Giant?