What bike should i buy for riding in the city?

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM: What bike should i buy for riding in the city?
I need to know what kinda bike ( brand, price, Ect) to buy for riding in downtown Chicago next year. I know these bikes can get expensive and there a lot of different companies so i just want to find a good bike for a price that doesn’t kill me. Price range is around $ 300 (not a Mountain bike). please help me out with brands, links, pricing tips, advise and any other info thank you all.

Answers and Views:

Answer by Old Hippie
$ 300 new? City bike? Sorry…none from a bike shop in that price at all. I refuse to list discount store bikes – junk. I’m going to go above your price by $ 19.95 & recommend a 2010 Dawes Eclipse 3.0 from Bikes Direct. They ship free via UPS. Some assembly required. Here’s the reasons I recommend this bike…

It comes in various frame sizes:
15″ Men’s fits most riders 5′ 3″ to 5′ 7″
17″ Men’s fits most riders 5′ 7″ to 5′ 10″
19″ Men’s fits most riders 5’9″ to 6′
21″ Men’s fits most riders 6′ to 6’4”

Shimano Acera Front Derailleur, Shimano Alivio Rear Derailleur, Shimano ST-EF60 Shifters, A 11-32T 8 Speed rear cassette hub (not a freewheel) and Alex DC25, Double Wall Aluminum rims (wheels). The combination of a cassette hub & double walled rims will take more weight, use & abuse. See all links below please. These same components in a bike shop bike would cost minimum $ 450 and above. If you can assemble the bike yourself & take care of it properly, this bike will last a lifetime.

Answer by hummerhead2002
You may find a road,hybrid or cruiser of your choice thru EBAY.com ( category-sporting goods-outdoor sports-CYCLING-select bike type you want to buy). There are $ 300 maybe less for some brands—select those with good components—Shimano or SRAM are excellent—ask for warranty and your specific size too—-

Answer by kitty
you can find here many options