decisions, decisions

so i decided to take a bike to NYC, just not the bike i have now.
while i love it dearly, it is just a little too nice. instead, i'm going to sell it to someone who will use it well here in seattle and get a not-super-nice bike to take to the city. i've been going back and forth about what kind of bike to take. the options as i see them now are:
*raleigh 29er: single speed mtn bike. its got big road size wheels but with beefy tires. good for snow and abusive city streets, single speed so lower maintenance, disc brakes. drawbacks are: heavy-ish, flat handlbar.. $420
*muirwoods29er: similar to the raleigh except with gears. drawbacks are that its still heavy-ish, and do gears make it more of a theft item? $380
*khs flite 220: steel frame road bike, ability to run cyclocross tires, regular brakes. pluses are the road bike geometry means i can take on longer rides. minuses are that it might be a bigger theft item, and do brake pads freeze more than disc brakes? $320

will i even ride much in the snow anyway? i think as it stands i will go for the flite220. its the cheapest and i can actually ride outside just city commuting if i want to. will go heavy on stickers and/or spray paint to keep the thieves away. or an armed guard.

also running into a sort of housing conundrum. its nearly impossible, from many angles, to secure housing in NYC until you're there.. but once you get there, where do you stay until you do? at this point, my crashing options seem dicey at best, but no one will consider you for even a sublet if you're not already there. and where do i send my stuff? i've been browsing craigslist like mad, trying to find something, but to no avail thus far. keep your fingers crossed, everyone, that i find something soon. and if you know anyone in NYC with a couch or space for a suitcase, let me know!