Originally Posted by
wipekitty
I think you and your fiance are in hybrid bike territory - hybrid bikes will give you an upright position, a frame that's a bit beefier than a delicate road bike, and appropriate tires for both pavement and gravel. You may be able to get away with a cruiser, but I'd personally recommend something with multiple gears if you are going to ride on gravel.
An entry-level hybrid from a local bike shop will probably run $400-$500 (per bike). The value in the higher price is that they're likely to do a tuneup after you have some miles in (to make sure everything is running properly) as well as a free annual tuneup. This can be helpful if you do not know about bike mechanics or have the tools to do your own work.
Not all department store bikes are complete garbage, and there are some that are reasonably decent at a lower price point (say, $200-$400) from places like Target, Dick's, etc. If you go that route, look for a sturdy frame, avoid features like shocks (which are likely to be horrible in that price range), and have the bike inspected by a shop for assembly issues. These bikes are likely to be a bit heavier and have lower-end components that are harder to keep working properly, though it might not be an issue for low-mileage riding.
Good luck with your bicycling journey!
I second this advice as well. You can find a decent Hybrid bike between 400 and 500 dollars. Very comfy to ride (dont get shocks) and will shift better and roll better than what you will get at Walmart.
If you buy from a Bike Shop (and do shop around, ask what kind of post purchase support they offer in the way of tune ups... warranties... etc) you will typically get support to fix issues that may come up after the break in period.
Over the past 6 months I have bought bikes from walmart and costco as they were cheaper than renting from a local shop or there was not a rental shop to rent a bike while on 1-2 week business trips. Each time there was a bit of tinkering with the bikes to get them to work correctly. Gear skips, wheels not straight (not "true" as in they would wobble back and forth) brake adjustments constantly needed. If you are not mechanically inclined it can be a pain and poor experience for you.
I have a bit of skill and was able to fix the problems but even then they were just not what I would want to ride all the time and I still had issues.
Bike riding is a great low impact way to keep the blood flowing and to go explore. I wish you and your other the best as you head off on a new adventure.
Enjoy!
-Sean
PS -
Here is an Idea for a decent Hybrid bike from REI. Some of their stores have a bike shop built in and they have pretty good customer support post purchase.