Originally Posted by
MRT2
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.
Totally agree. It takes some time (probably riding about 100 miles) for one to get used to the drop bars, and after that one understands their superiority. In fact, I ended up converting my hybrid to drops (
http://www.bikeforums.net/hybrid-bic...onversion.html). You can look for some cyclocross/gravel/adventure bike which is more or less a drop bar hybrid (I know, there are many subtleties). The only thing is that such bike will cost more.
You can also try some steel bikes (I personally like steel), some of them are supposed to give a better ride. For example, Jamis Coda or Bianchi Lupo or Volpe (these two have drop bars).