Still looking for my first bike. A guy at work said he would sell me his 2006 trek 7.3fx for $100. This is a size 15" and seems to fit me pretty well. I have some concerns about the reach but I guess I could get a longer stem. This will be my first real bike and will eventually be doing 25 mile commutes to work.

I just read in another of your posts that you're about 5'6". While this Trek could be a good deal if it's in good shape, I think it's going to be too small for you. 15" was the smallest frame made for that bike and it was probably aimed at riders around 5'2".

Also, just an opinion... You may want to consider a road bike. Not necessarily a racing bike, but a bike with drop bars and slick tires. The less-upright posture reduces wind resistance, making long rides that much easier. Narrower slick tires like those found on a road bike will lessen rolling resistance, also making the ride easier. Of course, a hybrid could be fitted with road-appropriate tires, but you'll still be sitting more upright, your body acting as a drag chute.

Agree. 25 miles one way is a long ride on a hybrid especially if it is the wrong size. 12.5 miles each way wouldn't be so bad.

Yes I am 5'6" and my inseam is only 29". I am pretty vertically challenged. What is the difference between a hybrid and a mountain bike? I guess this bike has road tires on it now.

Yes I am 5'6" and my inseam is only 29". I am pretty vertically challenged. What is the difference between a hybrid and a mountain bike? I guess this bike has road tires on it now.

You're somewhat vertically challenged, but frame size isn't all about height. As frames get taller, they also get longer. The test won't be whether you can straddle the frame, but whether your reach to the handlebars feels cramped, stretched out, or just right.

To oversimplify a bit... Get the saddle-to-pedal fit just right, both in terms of height and setback. THEN adjust handlebars. Do they feel too close? Too far? Slight adjustments can be made by swapping out the stem for a different length. More than a few centimeters, though, and we need to look at a different frame size.

Hybrids typically mix features of road bikes and mountain bikes in an effort to make them better on pavement than mountain bikes and better on mild trails than a typical road bike. Ever hear the phrase, "Jack of all trades, master of none"? Hybrids typically have a flat handlebar and upright riding posture kinda like a mountain bike. They may have suspension forks reminiscent of those you might find on a mountain bike. They generally have narrower tires than mountain bikes but wider than road bikes. Their tires often have some tread pattern to grip surfaces other than pavement, at least marginally. They tend to be aimed more toward recreation/comfort than performance or function. (And distance riding *is* a function!)

For 50 miles a day -- 3 hours or more in the saddle -- I'd personally steer you toward something designed more specifically for road use and long distances than a hybrid. Not to say that a hybrid can't get you from point A to point B; it's just that a road bike will do it faster and with less effort. A touring bike (or something that can be set up similarly) would be ideal: A rear rack, possibly with panniers (bags) to carry things and fenders so water/mud/etc. from the road doesn't end up all over you. Bikes that are marketed as touring bikes tend to be expensive, but there are lots of bikes that make good commuters. Some vintage and semi-vintage road bikes, like Japanese bicycles from the '80s, tend to be pretty inexpensive. There may be some candidates on your local Craigslist and the guys here are usually good at helping people sort through those options.