Thank you for your insight, Yuri.

Re-reading my previous post, I realize I may need to clarify: FWIW - 90% of my riding will be on flat, straight, crushed limestone - nothing technical. Maintenance on the trail is fair to poor, hence the desire for wider tires to soften the ride. I was reserving the Fuji for fair-weather riding. This would be an all-weather beater. Being on the taller side, my primary concern is if the bike will be big enough for me. I've never purchased a big box store bike before. My intent was to re-grease the hubs, re-torque all the bolts, and get a new freewheel with a larger bailout gear.

To your point about the wheels and mx: from your experience, where would you see the most troublesome and recurring mx issues most likely to occur?