l need a bicycle for travelling around the city (live in Brisbane & a female bike rider). l would use it to go:
- shopping
- to university
- to friends houses
- long fitness rides and a triathlon once a year

l would ride on bike trails and roads mostly. l suppose l need a good commuting bike but also one that can be comfortable on a long ride and be fast enough to keep up with traffic.

Looking to spend between AU$700 - $1500.

~ TYPE (hybrid, road, utility..) ?
~ BRAND ?
~ SHOP in Brisbane ?

Thanks in advance! Much appreciated ^_^

l would go with a hybrid VS a comfort or road bike. l don’t like the tucked position of road bikes for visibility in city traffic, but if u were doing triathlons & endurance rides l think the added weight of a comfort bike would be cumbersome. Sorry, l haven’t been to Brisbane since l was in the Navy, & l don’t know what bike shops r there. Something like this would be light & fast for the races, but u could throw a rack & fenders on it when u aren’t racing, & it would be a great commuter. http://jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/street/coda/09_codaf.html.

l would suggest a mountain bike for between $300 to $500. You might need to get more comfortable seat & a rack on the back.

l have a Mongoose from the Balmoral bike shop on Riding Road in Hawthorne & it is very good value. Have a look at some of the other bike shops but they seem to push the expensive bikes.
You might like to give preference to a bike shop near where u live so that it is convenient to have it serviced.

http://victorcycles.com.au/our_brands.html
http://riders.com.au/index.php?cPath=1_10&osCsid=e2d45bccb637c4fa4f8dcdf3517c80b0
http://bicycleriders.com.au/index.php

A great type of bike for your needs is known as an audax, or light touring bike. It would be able to mount a rack for panniers so you can carry things, it would be comfortable for long rides, and yet still light and nimble enough to be used for triathlons. l can not advise on a shop, not living near you. Do not fixate on brands, you need to think more about your budget, type of bike, and fit.

Being in the bicycle industry for my whole life & working in it for the past 10.5 yrs & counting, of the first three , the third answer is best overall. Mountain bike? No. Hybrid? No. Performance Hybrid? Fitness/LIfestyle? Maybe. Recreational/Performance Road? YES.

http://giant-bicycles.com/en-AU/bikes/women/ The largest bicycle manufacturer in the world.

l recommend anything like:
The 2009 Giant Avail($$) or Avail Alliance($$$) designed by women for women specifically. Your usage is exactly what these bikes were designed & made to do perfectly. They're essentially light road racers +upright position, more comfort, fender/rack compatible & easier gearing. Limited Lifetime Warranty on frame & fork (best in industry alongside Trek, Specialized etc.).

Trek: go for equivalent WSD (womens specific design) models in road or bike path categories. Recommnd: Road category: 1.2 - 1.9WSD
http://trekbikes.com/au/en/bikes/women

Specialized: Endurance Road category: Dolce series: not as recommnded as Giant or Trek in ur case (not as well designed, some dont have rck/fndr mounts. not as sweet lookin as Trek n Giant!)
http://specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=40621&eid=117

All info is Australia specific. Choose shop u personally trust n thnk u can/will have a good long-term relationship with, it is subjective..nearby is bonus.

Good luck Amelie! Pls. feel free to ask anything else...

Take a look at the Trek bike path WSD models. They are a good all around comfortable bike.

http://trekbikes.com/au/en/bikes/bike_path/