>>1767835Any aluminium "hybrid" bike will be suitable. Look for brand names like giant, trek, specialized, etcetera.
Frame material: steel is heavy, carbon is expensive. Aluminum is just right for most use cases and budgets.
Drivetrain (gears, shifters): Shimano is is best for entry level stuff. Look for 2 cogs in the front and 9 cogs in the rear. Really any amount of gears is good enough. You'll just want to upgrade sooner if you have 3 cogs in the front, and 7 cogs in the rear, but it will still be a perfectly decent bike.
Disc brakes are nice for wet weather and off road riding, but aren't needed on a street bike. Look for rim brakes. V-brakes are the best rim brakes but dual-pivot calipers are fine too. Of coarse if you get a good deal on a disc brake bike there's no real reason not to get it.
Suspension is heavy and unnecessary for the street and dirt/gravel roads. Look for something with a ridgid fork.
STI (drop bar) levers are more expensive so I would recommend going with a flat bar. Mount some barends between the grips and shifters for some more hand positions, comfort, and leverage.
The bike should have fender and rack mounts. The more accessory mounts the better.
Brand new entry level bikes are hard to find and overpriced these days because of increased demand and supply issues. I would suggest doing a bit more research and looking into the used market.
Congratulations on the salary, Anon. Hope you find a nice bike for a good price.
