Originally Posted by gummo
So I'm getting ready to buy a new bike. I don't want a full-on mountain bike, nor a strictly city/road bike. I'd like something in between that I will mainly be using in the city but would like to have the ability to take it on a trail or rougher terrain as well. A good Hybrid? I live in San Francisco, so there are a good many streets and hills, but also there are also the woods and mountain headlands across the bridge. Admittedly, I don't know a whole lot about bikes, but I have been comparing prices here and there. Can someone recommend a good bike that I can get for somewhere between $300 and $400? thanks
PS: how about a good lock as well?
We all have adgendas, whether we admit them or not. Keep this in mind when asking
anyone to recommend a bike for YOU. Then, go to a reputable shop in your area, and ride everything that catches your eye in your price range. Ride a few suggested by shop employees, a few by BF members, a few by friends. Narrow the list by selecting which bikes 1. Feel the best under you (fit, fit, fit) and 2. are the most fun to ride. Ride them again. Go home. Ask yourself again- what are you trying to get in this bike purchase? Do your favorite candidates meet this objective? Narrow list, ride again.
Compare value- are you paying big money for components you don't need (suspension, tricky frame) or are you getting a bike you'll never outgrow?
My point is- Buy the bike you want and need, not the bike that someone else thinks is cool right now. There are so many different kinds of specialties in biking that a blind- "what is a good bike for me" question is one that can never be answered by anyone but you.
I don't mean to be a jerk- but- do your homework- only you can tell what makes you happy. my 2 cents.