What's a good bicycle for the city?

You might want to try a recumbent bike. They are kind of pricey, but you get to sit down. If you prefer standard bikes, get a mountain bike with good shocks. You can also put road slicks on the tires for better road performance.

As a full time recumbent rider in the city, I can say they are very comfortable and fun but not really optimal for the city, and not necessarily the best choice for the normal city rider.

If you're okay with spending the 400ish for a new bike (as opposed to craigslist which takes more work but has some bargains... plus you can worry less about stealing), I'd just go to some local bike stores and start test riding...

You'll probably want a hybrid for NYC based on your descriptions...

My girlfriend just got a Raleigh hybrid and it's very comfortable... she's been happy with it. I've also heard that Specialized has a good entry level hybrid... the key is to test them out yourself.

Yes--I really love my Raleigh hybrid...The seat is amazingly comfortable. But, another option is to buy a cheaper used bike on craigslist and then go to a bikestore and buy a memory foam seat or some other extra comfy seat to install. It really makes a big difference, and the seats are inexpensive, so it could be a good way to spruce up a cheaper bike.

If you don't mind spending a bit more, or buy off of e-bay or craigslist, a Giant Revive bicycle is perfect for comfort riding in the city. Check out the reviews. It is more comfortable than a standard bike but gives you the visibility you need in the city that a recumbent can't give you. The design is very comfortable and takes stress off your knees. I hardly ever get a chance to ride mine, but I love it. A great buy.

Check out some Novara bikes by REI. You can join their membership program for about $25 and you get a 20% off coupon with it so a $500 bike ends up being $525 – $100 = $425.

I bought a $430 Mountain Bike last year this way and ended up paying a little under $370. It’s a nice bike.