n+1, but which +1?

[Jonathing]

It is nearly time to throw my hat in with the cycle to work scheme which the trust I've started working for run. I've never been in a position to join such a scheme before and I'm seeing it as a perk of having a 'proper' job at last.
The question is which +1 do I go for? I currently commute to work on a fixed Genesis Day One. Now I love riding fixed but I live in Sheffield, which is, like Rome, built on seven hills. On the way home from work it feels like it was built on seven hills, all piled on top of one another. I'm already running 63", gong any lower would require more fettling than I have experience of (changing the chain ring etc.).
My considered option for cycle to work is an On One Pompetamine Versa, like my fixed, drop bars, steel frame plus eight gears, one more than there are hills. Or a hard tail mountain bike, I've never really got into mountain biking, I'm originally from East Anglia where mountain biking sounds like a bad joke, but I'm now on the edge of the Peak District where mountain biking sounds like a great day out. I'm looking at the RockRider 8.1 from Decathlon here which looks like a good deal and is cheaper than the On One but lacks the dirty name.

Or I could stop spending money I don't have and man up, put knobbly tyres back on the Day One and ride that across the peaks as well as to work.

 

[HovR]

I wouldn't recommend a hard tail for commuting. In my experience the front suspension saps half of the energy out of you when powering up hills - Unless you can completely lock it out.

Even if you can lock it completely out, the next question is which tires do you want on it? Slicks for the commute, but will have little grip when you use it off road. Or knobblies for when you use it offroad - But then you'll wish you had slicks when it comes to commuting. Hybrid tires would work, but wouldn't perform amazingly in either situation.

From my searching, the Versa seems to have hub gears and disc brakes - Both great for commuting.

If selling the Day One is an option, you could buy the Versa under the cycle to work scheme, and purchase a hard tail with the money you get from the Day One?

 

[JtB]

If you need a bike predominantly for 'on-road', then personally I'd steer well clear of ANY mountain bike.