Originally Posted by MRT2

It is always a thing to balance weight against performance, speed against comfort, and off road performance vs on road performance. Also, what might initially feel comfortable might not be comfortable for longer rides. A lot depends on what sort of rails/trails you have in mind, and the distance and time in the saddle you plan to put in. In my neck of the woods, 90% of rails trails are paved. Additionally, I believe newbies should strive to go for something a little sportier than they think they will need. Hence, I would recommend something lighter like the FX or something similar from Cannondale Quick, Specialized Sirrus, Liv Alight or a dozen other brands, over a more trail oriented bike like the Neko. Alternately, you might even want to try something with drop bars, which many find more comfortable than flat bars. If you are thinking about more rustic rails/trails, or are certain that short rides of less than 10 miles is all you will ever want to do, then you might want to go the more trail, or comfort oriented direction.