Mountain Biking - Advice for beginner

Hi folks

Just found this forum in the search for the help on mountain bikes. Since I never owned a mountain bike before I may need some help to point me in some directions.
I am looking for a bike that I can take more off-road than than the comfort bike I have right now.
But I am not planning in any extreme mountain bike tours. More moderate over roots and rocks. Just the kind of hiking trails.
I some cases I will even pull a Burley trailer with my 3 year old. This more on even surfaces.
I also will not use it on a daily basis. More or less on the weekends only.

So the bike what I looking for should have:
- Sturdy enough for off road tours
- Sturdy to carry my weight (260 lbs)
- Big enough for my size . I am 6’5”.
- Suitable for towing a trailer
- Suitable to mount a carrier since I need a possibility to carry my Ortlieb backrollers

And it should support upright sitting. I have minor back problems and need to sit as upright as possible. So the handle bar needs to be higher than the saddle.

And finally I do not want to spend a fortune. I need to keep it way under $1000. Even under $800 if possible.

Are ther some off the shelf products out there that would fit my needs?

Thanks
Stefan

higher end bikes don't really support upright sitting positions. on xc bikes the top tube is usually long and i was taught that the ideal position is having the seat ~2" higher than the handlebars, give or take. of course, that doesn't mean you can't get risers or higher stems to get the position you want. i rode my friend's trek 4500 and it felt upright and very solid/sturdy. depending on what kind of offroading you do, that may or may not be a good choice for you. personally, i prefer longish top tubes and a lower front end to help the climbing, and if you ride technical singletrack you may want to get a frame a tad bit smaller than you'd usually ride on flat terrain, for better manuverability. specialized, trek, giant, fisher, kona are some of the reputable brands that probably carry something in your price range.

btw i was assuming you were talking about a hardtail, as i don't see much point in getting a full-suspension bike for under a grand.

Harhir,

If you don't mind, what kind of comfort bike do you ride now? Perhaps you could look into "upgrading" it with bigger, softer tires and even a front suspension and/or shock-absorbing seat post. That would save you lots of money and might even result in a real nice ride.

Are you talking US dollars here?

tFUnK is right - stick to hardtail for that price. You will likely need to stay reasonably entry-level to keep the seating position upright. Perhaps check out a Specialized Rockhopper or Rockhopper Comp (www.specialized.com) or Trek 4900/6700 (www.trekbikes.com). Both companies offer great bikes for well under $1000, as do Gary Fisher (owned by Trek) and Giant.

You may want to consider upgrading the wheelsets to a stronger type, but if you're not doing anything too agressive you should be fine. I've ridden my wife's Rockhopper at times and never done any damage to it :) I'm about 220 lbs and ride mostly cross-country (XC), with rocks, roots and the odd small jump/huck.

The best advice I can give is head down to a local bike shop and talk to them. If they can't answer your questions, find another store! Find out if they're prepared to give you some flexibility to change saddle, stem, fork and wheels at the time of purchase.

Harhir,

If you don't mind, what kind of comfort bike do you ride now? Perhaps you could look into "upgrading" it with bigger, softer tires and even a front suspension and/or shock-absorbing seat post. That would save you lots of money and might even result in a real nice ride.

It is not really what it described in the US as comfort bike. It a bike like the Trek L200. Basically a road bike.
So there is no upgrade possible. And I would like to keep it like it is.
But I did some research over the weekend and went to a couple of dealers.

Now I know at what kind of bike I want. It will be either a Specialized Expedition or a Trek Navigator. But I have not decided on the model and the make yet.
This kind of bike is exactly what I was looking for. Kind of mountain bike with lots of comfort. Upright seating, plush seat :D, high handle bar, wide tires, front suspension, ...
We'll see.

Thanks for your help so far.

Stefan