Hybrid Bicycles - Newbie: Schwinn New OR2 or used Scott Sportster P5, other bike suggestions?

I'm just starting to get into biking. Not looking at anything too serious, just something that will be fun to ride around. I live in Denver and want to start using some of the trails. I decided that a hybrid bike would probably be the best. I have only owned mountain bikes in the past and have had very limited experience on road bikes. I am on a tight budget and looking to spend under $300. Below are 2 bikes I am considering, but I am open to suggestions. I have really only been around to some of the big box stores (and REI) in the area. Like I said, very limited budget.

I'm trying to decide between 2 bikes I have in mind and would appreciate any suggestions on these bikes or any others...

Schwinn OR2 for just under $300 (New - Target)
http://www.target.com/p/schwinn-700c-men-s-or2-black/-/A-13241051

Scott Sportster P5 for just under $300 (Used - 3 years old from Craigslist)

What has been your experience with these bikes? Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks!

It doesn't look like the Scott Sportster P5 has a lockout fork--that is much preferable if you are going to get a suspension fork. How rugged are these trails? A suspension fork may not be necessary (most people think that they are necessary for a comfortable ride, but wider tires can make a bigger difference, so having a rigid fork on a bike that can take wider tires would be better).

Don't let the age of a bike fool you if you're looking for a used bike--a 80s/90s hardtail mountain bike from Trek, Cannondale, or Specialized could still be in excellent running order and are prized by people looking for a reliable bike that can handle trails or could be a tough commuting bike. Here are some bikes on the Denver CL that I'd consider:

http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/3067613309.html
http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/3043647509.html
http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/3059402445.html
http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/3044763913.html

Bikes from Xmart stores are really low quality bikes. A used bike on Craigslist would give you the most bike for your price range. Please post a link to the CL ad? According to Bikepedia, http://www.bikepedia.com/Quickbike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=2009&Brand=Scott&Model=Sportster%20P5&Type=bike, the bike sold for $450 new. That bike also has a suspension front fork, so it's more like a mountain bike than than a road bike. It might be just right for trails with wider tire and suspension. Sorry, but that Target bike is crap. If Denver is anything like SF bay, there will be tons of mountain bikes for sale on craigslist.

The trails I plan to ride are mostly paved and are around town. I'm not talking mountain biking trails. The bike I was looking at is http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/3068004557.html. Thank you for your recommendations.

Well, it looks to be in pretty good shape, but like I said earlier, I don't think a suspension fork would be necessary, especially on paved trails. Besides the bikes I linked to, search for a Trek FX model maybe, or any other hybrid. I'd say that used is the way to go--a big box bike isn't reliable because of both the quality of the bike itself, but also the people putting them together (chances are the Target or WalMart employee putting them together in bike knows nothing about bikes).

You could also go to a local bike shop and see if they have any older models that they're looking to get rid of--they might cut you a deal.