Originally Posted by Newbiker10

Hi there!

I'm a 40-year-old, male, city dweller who is hoping to get into biking. I'd love to get some guidance from you biking veterans in order to figure out how to purchase the right style/size bike.

I currently have an old 1980s Trek road bike that my dad gave me. However, it's not in great shape and I don't think the size is right for me.

I want to find a bike that allows me to take weekend rides on country roads and paved trails, but also something that wouldn't be completely useless if I come across a patch of trail that's not perfectly paved. So I'm thinking this eliminates road bikes (not versatile enough) and mountain bikes (too clunky).

What am I looking for? A hybrid or a cyclocross bike?

I also don't want to spend a lot of money before I test the waters and see if this is a hobby I can stick with. I'm hoping to spend less than $500 on a used bike.

Any thoughts or suggestions on what to look for, and how to go about searching? Do I just keep watching Craigslist? Or is it better to go to a used bike shop?

Also, what's the best way to find the right size? I'm just under 6 feet tall. I watched a video on YouTube about measuring the distance from my crotch to the floor, but it didn't really help me translate that measurement into a proper bike size. And the size details of the bikes listed on Craigslist often aren't very consistent.

Thanks much for any guidance you can provide!!!

Cheers