His Brain is Gone!
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Paoli, Wisconsin
Posts: 9,979
Bikes: RANS Stratus, Bridgestone CB-1, Trek 7600, Sun EZ-Rider AX, Fuji Absolute 1.0, Cayne Rambler 3
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I'm 5'7" with a 29" inseam and I have found the Trek FX 17.5" size to be a very good fit.
I've known people to ride centuries on Trek FX bikes. Usually higher end models. Doing 180 miles over a weekend on a 7.1 FX would be a challenge. Without the carbon fork, with the high tensile steel fork, the ride isn't super smooth. If I were to try this, I would swap out the grips for something that absorbs more vibration, and install comfortable bar ends. It is doable.
I would probably lean toward watching Craigslist to see if I could snare a higher end bike under your $500 target. As you are comfortable on road bikes, perhaps an older road bike and use 28 or 32 mm tires. A lot of road bikes won't take a 32, some do. These tires are usually okay on limestone trails, run them at around 80-90 PSI. 32s are usually less susceptible to flats too.
As to a dual-sport, I do like those bikes, but they wouldn't be my choice for a 180 mile weekend ride.
How much of the ride is on dirt/limestone trails? And how smooth are those trails. Some of the trails I ride here in Wisconsin are so smooth, packed dirt, that you can ride any time of bike on them.