General Cycling Discussion - Ideas please - new bike purchase

I need a ergo-easy-on-the-back bike for local trips on paved bike trails; nothing dramatic, nothing off-road. Two candidates I now have are the Trec 7200 and the Specialized Expedition (both about $330). Am I on the right track? Are there better alternatives? :confused:

I have the 7200. It was the first non dept store bike I bought and is a fine bike for the things you list, as long as you don't put too many miles in at one time. Just remember that setting bolt upright isn't good for your back, a slight bend helps absorb shocks better.
7200 is a good bike.:)

Sitting up straight so that the entire weight of your upper body is running through your spine is not necessarily "easy on your back." There are reasons the vast majority of people who ride on the road for hours at a time choose drop handlebars, and one of them is that by distributing their weight over the bike, and taking some of that weight on their arms, they are sparing their backs.

That said, hybrids like the Trek 7200 are decent bikes for road and light trail use. Just be aware that the more you ride the less suitable they become, which is sort of backwards from what you might want.

There's not a lot of difference between bike-shop bikes from the major manufacturers at this price point. You could be equally happy with Trek, Specialized, Giant, Raleigh, Jamis, Cannondale, Fuji, whatever.

The larger differences are between the shops themselves. "Shop for shops," and pick the one that makes you most welcome, is liberal about test rides, spends a lot of time making sure you're buying the right size, gets you fitted properly, has a wheelbuilder retension, stress-relieve, and true the wheels (not just slapping them on the bike right out of the box), and has a good policy for tune-ups and service down the road.

Then choose from the brands that shop sells.

RichC

Hi,
why did you say "easy on the back"? Sounds like you need to strengthen your back muscles.

late: What's your point?

Specialized makes great bikes! They also make bikes for big people like me to. You can get a 63 cm (top tube) frame. Thats huge. Not that many manufacturers make em that big.

If you do get this bike, make sure it has a suspension seat post since it's not a steal cycle. If you can afford it, get a Brooks saddle that has plenty of springs to soften the shocks. The suspension seat post will enable you to ride 10 to 25 miles at a time.

If you want to sit up get a Giant Revive. If you really want something to zip on get a Specialized Sirrus or Giant Cypress SX. All of these are more money but also more bike.