Please Help Me Choose My New Multi-Purpose Bike

[Owlie]

Welcome to TE!

I'd look at steel cyclocross-type or relaxed road frames if you can find one that would fit. It doesn't have to be heavy. Not many carbon frames (I think that's starting to change, but slowly) have the ability to take a rack if you want to get groceries, and the ride quality of aluminum... They'd give you the tires choice you want. Do you need a WSD frame? The Surly Pacer, Straggler (I think, it's their disc-compatible cross bike), and the Cross-check come to mind, but sizing with Surly can be tricky. Jamis' Satellite line may have some good options (more road frame, though). Specialized has one (Tricross), and I think Trek may have come out with one in the last couple years. There's also the Charge Plug line (go for the 4 or higher), if you can find it. (I have the Filter, that eventually became part of the Plug line, and I love it, and I think the newer version comes with a better fork. It's unisex sizing, so it runs big (I ride a small), but a friend of mine also has it in XS and she's about your height.) If you're willing to look at aluminum, there's the women's Giant Invite (I think that's what it is), but it might be more than your budget. Nice bike, though.

ETA: I think there's a thread in the Cyclocross section about bikes for shorter women. Take a look over there too!