Originally Posted by dignity
Hi,
I'm new to the forum and have no idea where to post this. I'm pretty new to the whole cycling world; I always rode a bike when I was a kid, but then I turned 16 and got a car - but now I want to bike again. There is a group of us that have been going out on the weekends, right now I have a "target special" for a bike and I really want to upgrade to something nicer. We mostly do general trail riding (the paths we're on are usually crushed limestone or paved), we have done a little off-road/off-trail riding. I really don't know much and would like to learn but have no idea where to start or which brands might be better than others.
Right now, the bikes I'm considering are:
Trek 7300
Trek 7.2 FX
Raleigh Passage 5.5
If anybody can give me any tips or any reviews of the bikes I've listed or recommend another entry level bike, I would much appreciate it.
I have a Trek 7.5 FX, but I mostly use it for commuting/transportation on paved roads. Its ok on easy trails that are packed dirt, and some gravel, but if I were you, I would consider maybe a hardtail mountain bike or hybrid with front suspension that you can lock down (for when you don't need it), if you are mostly riding it off road on trails that aren't very demanding. Not sure if the Trek 7300 or Raleigh meet that criteria without going to look them up.