Smooth as silk, great quality, perfect for road and commute.

I bought the bike through a major outdoor retailer where I was a able to try out the bike first.
Pluses: I ride a full size commuter bike to work year round as well as enjoying road biking so this was a change for me. The bike was easy to adapt to and I think the 8 speeds are more than adequate for typical terrain. The brakes operate very smoothly with good control without being overly sensitive. Compared to my two full sized bikes (one with rim brakes, the other with disk brakes), I like the Tern's the best.
Minuses: The rear rack does not work well with typical panniers. This is a shame - I will now have to spend more money for the optional rack and toss the existing one.