Originally Posted by
CliffordK
Oh... asking a general "which is best" question here? You'll get a thousand opinions.
Many of the road bikes are much lighter than most MTBs, so a lot less bike to lug up the mountains.
Of course, there are some really nice, really expensive MTBs that are lighter.
Of course, you get what you pay for. It is tough to find a quality road bike for < $150, unless you get really lucky (which happens with patience if you know what you're looking for and have some patience, and are quick to snap up the best deals, no posting on the internet for an opinion).
This Cannondale caught my eye. A few years old, and a little more expensive, but it would be a reasonably nice bike, assuming all the mixed parts work well together (shifts smoothly & etc).
CANNONDALE Road bike - $300 (haight ashbury
At 58cm, it will be slightly tall, but not too bad.
Swap out the rear cogs for something with a 32t large cog (or bigger) and switch to a long cage derailleur to accommodate the broad range in your new rear cassette, and that one could do the trick.
Note: There's no such thing as "a little too tall but ok". Don't buy a bike you can't stand over, though.