Originally Posted by Bearonabike

Never have been into mountain biking but I live in NE Alabama, road bikes here are a license to die. Most of what I see is 2 opposing lanes, no shoulder and a 6' drop into a ditch. That puts me driving to designated pike paths in nearby areas or looking at gravel path riding, which I am not against. That is really the reason why I've discounted my Jamis Aurora and maybe the Coda. Given the geometry, I don't think it would accommodate a tire that makes gravel path really enjoyable. It may be for 90% of the ride, but the bike needs to accommodate 100% of the ride, including areas where the path is a little less "maintained".

As for handle bars, my Coda is set to 3" above my saddle height and that is comfortable.

A suspension bike could be a consideration if there is a frame that has more of the feel of the road or hybrid bicycle. My experience on a mountain bike goes back maybe 15 years. I recall, they are shorter bicycles out of necessity and for me, the longer frame makes a more enjoyable ride. I bought one at a garage sale (trek 820 if memory serves) that was probably a late 90s bike. Put maybe 100 miles on it and put it in my garage sale. Haven't looked at that type of bike since. I really liked the gearing as I'm more of a masher than a spinner and wouldn't be against an off-road frame if I could use components to get what I am after.