vuelamanuel

Hi.

i opted for a steel, then titanium, cyclocross bike with a variable angle headset.
i had been a competitive triathlete in the 90's, then mtb allthrough grad school in the 2000's.
As it has been pointed out, the best bike to get fit is the one you will ride most of the time. So, if you live next to a trail, an atb or if it is a bike path, then a light weight road bike with some electronics to keep you motivated.
Going with a cyclocross bike with dedicated off and on road wheels/tires means you can ride 90-99% of your local paths at a reasonably high level of efficiency, which should keep you motivated. You can also set the bike a bit more upright (usually 1 cm higher and shorter stem) wich should help keep you in the bike for longer while avoiding back injuries. Dont skimp on the saddle fit, pedals, handlebars or brifters: they are your points of contact and will make or break how long you can ride for. And how pleasant your ride will be. Some frame manufacturers build bikes with flexible rear ends: voodoo wazoo and some surlys will allow younto convert to single speed or fixed gear. It migh be useful to improve your technique at some point. Change breeds improvements. I have a quiver of bikes, but the two bikes that get rid most of the time are my cx bikes.
They also make superb commuters when you finally buy a dedicated road and mountain bike. Just add some racks, mudguards and lights.



pd. My wife just got her first high performance bike: a highly customized specialized cirrus. Thudbuster to compensate for the alloy frame, a variable angle stem and 35c paselas on velocity rims. On her first brutal ride around Crescent Lake Or, we hit a nice 50 min of paved road. No problem. Then, 18 miles of very loose gravel and volcanic ash. After some creative cussing and divorce threats on her part, she was able to continue by adjusting stem heigh and droping tire pressure. When we hit the highway again, just pumped back to 70 psi and finished another hour of tarmac. A flexible bike allows younto cover more types of unexpected terrain in more comfort. So, add high spec hybrids to the mix, they also can meet the challenges. Finally, check out the Salsa Fargo and the Vaya, ive been hearing good things about them.