The bike I am looking for will be used for two things:
1) trail riding
2) commuting on slick days (after a downpour, especially now with leaves on the pathway)
Sunny day commutes, summer rides, leisure rides along the path would all be done on my current bike, the Giant Rapid. I don't ride after the first snowfall and not again until the spring melt.
Here is the trail that I am usually taking:
http://urbancommuter.files.wordpress...ns-moor-03.jpg
I don't think the bikes are all that dis-similar. Two are hybrids and one is a cross. They all seem like they would be able to handle messier situations than what my Rapid could. And I just don't have good traction on that trail, particularly when trying to steer around joggers and walkers.