Mountain Biking - Bike for rural gravel conditions

Getting back into cycling, but now no more modifield Super Course road racing in the hamlets of my past. Living in prairie region with pretty much travel limited to coarse gravel roadways and "zero till" (to those that know) cropland, with the odd (perhaps in the future) daily 25km jaunts onto highway only to go to/from work. Considering that I'm getting back into cycling, I'm not wanting to splurge $$$. But I do weight 215 lb or so and am 6 ft so a certain $ will have to be there to assure something worthy. So, any suggestions as to specific bikes OR particulars of spec? A local has suggested a stock Giant Yukon, while another is strongly suggesting going to a modified style (his example is a hybrid). Still much new to me, but I want to start riding to prepare for the sub-zero excursions (once again).

thanks for any and all


Monroe

My vote is for a cross bike. Skinny knobby tires will hook up on the gravel roads and cropland. Can throw on road tires for a quick road commute. What's your budget. Around $800 will get you a kona jake, motobecane, or redline (my personal preference would be the kona), or go ebay and get the same bikes $200-300 less.

I agree with the cross bike suggestion.
You may want to check out a Bianchi San Jose ~$550.

Avoid hybrids though, they are simply compromised bicycles in every way; they do nothing well.

+1 for the cross. Possibly the Surly Cross-Check Complete (http://www.surlybikes.com/crosscheck_comp.html)

All around great bike and a killer price (when they are in stock).

If you can go a little more one of my personal fav's is the Tricross Sport (http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=22307) but its a little more $$

I have a Trek 7500 w/ 700x35 tires. They're an bit squirrelly on big or loose gravel. A wider tire would work better, IMO. I think wider tires would also give a softer ride on what you're talking about.

I do a lot of gravel road riding, sometimes as long as 80 mile rides. A lightweight hardtail is my preferred weapon of choice for these rides. I have a very enegetic road grader operater in the county to the east of me, which made skinny tires, or smooth tires a poor choice for me. A cross bike might work for you though!

^^ WTF are you talking about? Blue would be fastest, no?

^^ WTF are you talking about? Blue would be fastest, no?

That can't be a real question, everyone already knows what the fastest color is.

get a bicycle with 3 wheels and a basket on the front or back. the color is important as well. maybe start a thread and ask what color it s/b.

hope that helps! ; )

Understood and appreciated. But I've had to make concessions on colour. Many of the faster colours are currently out of stock, so I'm limited to the yellows and reds of late.

I never considered the trike. Sounds like you know what you are talking about. Any suggestions on make?

That can't be a real question, everyone already knows what the fastest color is.

Yes we do.

Black is the fastest because of its ability to sneak by resistance molecules.

650B Bleriot is really a neat bike for this use

A Santa Cruz V10 or an Intense M3 would just float over that type of terrain.

Black is the fastest because of its ability to sneak by resistance molecules.


Yet another uneducated person trying to give advice on a subject he knows not of......