Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 12,560
Likes: 799
From: Middle of da Mitten
Bikes: Trek 7500, RANS V-Rex, Optima Baron, Velokraft NoCom, M-5 Carbon Highracer, Bacchetta Quattro, Catrike Speed
You won't get much help from this corner. Road bikes don't do trails well, and mountain bikes can't keep up with road bikes on the road. You could get a hybrid that doesn't do either particularly well, or some variety that leans one way but gives up some capabilities of the other. Given your budget, you're probably looking at either used, or a low-end model at a bike shop.