Recreational & Family - Recommend a hybrid/comfort bike for me

I am looking for a comfort or hybrid bike that lies slightly on the off road end of the spectrum. My riding will consist mostly of joy riding on gravel and dirt country roads. I am looking for something with a relaxed/upright geometry because my lower back hurts when riding a mountain bike. My price range is 300-450ish. I would like front suspension and possibly a seat post suspension. Something with a wide range of gears would be good. My area is hilly. Steel or aluminum frame would be fine. A comfy seat is a must. Thank you.

I wouldn't consider a steel frame because of the weight. There are dozens of bikes to choose from in the hardtail MTB category with that price range. The only issue with bikes in around that price will be the drive train. The Trek 3 & 4 series and Specialized Hardrocks are good examples to consider. There are others that I think are just as good, if not better.

The low-end Specialized Cross Trail is a nice bike. About $400. My buddy has one and it's sweet.

I LOVE my Giant Sedona!

my redline bike fits the criteria your looking for. redline 520 model i think you can look it up on the internet. i'm sure if you go to your neighborhood bike shop they can hook you up for what you want.

The Giant Cypress is an awesome and comfortable bike. It has a few low-end components, but I am not sure how bike savvy you are and how brand name savvy you are, so that is for you to decide :) My mother rides one of these and loves it to death (she once told me that she would kill me if I touched it, jokingly of course). Great for joy riding, and commuting alike.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bikes/lifestyle/2303/32207/

It also depends on if you are looking for power assisted, again something you will have to choose, I see hybrid as a mix of road and mountain bike. But that is just me :)

seems we are looking for the same thing....I have made a small list of bikes I am looking at ...

Giant...Cypress (395.00)

Specialized...Carmel 1 (390.00)...both 700/26" models
Vienna 1 (420.00)

Cannondale... Comfort 5 (470.00)
Adventure 5 (470.00)

Trek...Navigator 2.0 (429.00)
7100 (439.00)
7200 (459.00)

also worth noting... a 10% discount is being offered to me on the remaing 2009 bikes as the 2010's are arriving

I'm a fan of the Trek hybrids. Also dig the Electra bikes, but they are pretty radical.

My wife and I got bikes last year. She has a Trex 7200, & I have the Giant Cypress. The Cypress is plenty of fun. Great for building up my stamina. Not bad for the price either.

My daughter has a Giant Cypress which I ride when I visit. The stem allows for adjustment of both height and reach so you can really dial in a comortable ri=ding position. Most brands of bikes are very similar. Find a helpful bike shop, who will let you swap out a saddle that isnt comfortable for a 2 hr ride. Then buy whatever brand they sell.

Giant Transend is better than Cypress. Lighter and better parts, worth slightly but not significantly more cost.

Here's a plug for the shop brand, Jamis Explorer for a comfort bike http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/sportcomfort/explorer/09_explorer2.html, it has 26" wheels/tires, good for most surfaces but I wouldn't go bombing any trails. The price is relatively low end as is the componentry.

For a hybrid, Jamis Citizen http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/street/citizen/09_citizen1.html, it has 700c wheels, with 700x38 mm tires, which can handle most offroad conditions while offering a smoother ride on the road with less rolling resistance.

Incidently, once you start riding, you may find that a narrow and harder seat may be more comfortable thanls to a lack of rubbing the back of the legs at high effort.

If you're relatively new to biking or returning, this site gives you one heck of a lot of good information about biking which goes well beyond choosing a bike. Worth checking out.

http://www.biketoledo.net

Go Mudhens.....

seems we are looking for the same thing....I have made a small list of bikes I am looking at ...

Giant...Cypress (395.00)

Specialized...Carmel 1 (390.00)...both 700/26" models
Vienna 1 (420.00)

Cannondale... Comfort 5 (470.00)
Adventure 5 (470.00)

Trek...Navigator 2.0 (429.00)
7100 (439.00)
7200 (459.00)

also worth noting... a 10% discount is being offered to me on the remaing 2009 bikes as the 2010's are arriving

I have the Trek WSD 7000. I didn't go with the Navigator because of the front shocks I believe.

I wouldn't count out the Bianchi Milano. It is a cruiser that has big enough tires for trail riding. It is NOT a mountain bike, so you woud be extremely unhappy on single-track or downhill. But my wife has one and we have gone on park trails and roads and it is very versatile and stylish. I bought her a titanium road bike for an upcoming very long ride we are doing and she is very sad she won't be taking the Milano.

I see no reason to have a off-road-specific bike if you are going to go on-road and trails. Give it a look!

OK, it may be a little out of your price range, but you might want to look on Craig's list.

BTW, it has 26" wheels, like a mountain bike.