DILEMMA: what to do, what to do ...

slowlanejane

Need an all-round bike for:
Occasional Commuting, distance varies, up to 18 miles, need panniers to carry laptops & papers etc, but not having to carry too much
+
Bit of local shopping as & when
+
Tag-a-long attached bike rides with kids on towpaths etc
+
Rides where I'll need to lock & leave the bike (only use the roadie when I can maintain eye contact)
+
General bimbling about

Do I go for hybridised road bike or some kind of tourer?

Pro/con for the hybridised road option:
Pros: Faster, counts towards the road mileage / training I'm trying to achieve, better looking, I'm a bit of a roadie at heart
Cons: I've aready got a road bike (but not suitable for panniers etc and I dont want to fiddle with my speed machine) , bit hard on the bumps & potholes. Not great with a tag-a-long, not so comfortable for long leisure rides with the family.

Pro/cons for tourer:
Comes with all the fixtures & fittings, comfy, will go anywhere & do anythying
Cons: Heavy, slower, too squashy (even without suspension)

Input from users appeciated - what do you lot think?

UndercoverElephant

Sounds like what you need is a rough and tumble road bike. Kona make quite a few good ones, steel frames, strong wheels, mudguard and rack mountings. Have a look at the Honky Tonk for example:

http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDeta ... ctID=22815

dondare

Fast tourer with lightweight frame but long wheelbase and eyes for mudguards and carriers. Doesn't have to have excessively heavy wheels and tyres but does have room to fit them if you want them.
There used to be a lot of options but these days the handbuilt British lightweight is a bit of a rarity. Mercian still make them.

Clarion

Fast tourer/audax style bike sounds like what you need.

Kieran_Burns

Waits for Tricross brigade to swing into view..... 8)