If you'll be primarily riding on pavement, with the occasional hard pack smooth dirt trail, by all means, get a bike with 700c wheels, probably x32 or x38 widths on a hybrid. 26" wheels are better for hard core dirt riding. I just switched from a cruiserish hybrid that had 26x1.9" wheels to a flatbar hybrid w/ 700x40c tires, and its way easier to go faster, farther, climb hills, etc..