BigScott

Hey guys. I'm a 31 year old 275 pound man looking to get back into biking for fitness and pleasure and I haven't ridden a bike in 15 years. My last bike was an early 90's Schwinn Frontier. The roads around my house are your typical rural country paved roads that need some TLC with a few gravel and dirt roads thrown in here and there.

After visiting my LBS, they suggested a mountain bike but I have no immediate plans to tear off through the woods. Their main brand is Trek and I have been specifically looking at the 3900 disc. My main concern is with the front fork. My heavier weight combined with never riding a suspended fork bicycle leaves me with an uneasy feeling and I started looking at the 4 series with the lockout but soon decided they were out of my price range. I haven't checked out the DS series in person but I will soon, specifically the 8.3 as it fits into my budget and seems like a nice bang for the buck. I also like the Giant Roam 1 but the closest LBS that carries Giant is 2 hours away and I would like to keep my business local unless a much better option can be had for the same price as the Trek. I have all but counted out used Craigslist bikes because I admittingly have no idea what to look for as far as quality and the majority of used bikes are 2+ hours away.

1. Am I overthinking the desire for a locking fork or should I just go with the LBS recomendation and enjoy it?

2. I know tires can be changed but are the stock tires on the DS too skinny (I walked away from the FX line due to the appearance of the roadbike tires)?

3. Is the DS a good overall bike or is it one of those "it does everything so it's not great at anything"?

4. Is the DS good for longer distance road riding as my stamina and fitness improve or will I be looking to change rides in the near future (this is also my concern with the MTB)?

zerogravity

1. Am I overthinking the desire for a locking fork or should I just go with the LBS recomendation and enjoy it?
A Locking Fork is VERY handy. I highly recommend it as an option for you and will definitely assist in the COMFORT of the rough rides..especially if you are a CLYDESDALE(Heavy Rider)

2. I know tires can be changed but are the stock tires on the DS too skinny (I walked away from the FX line due to the appearance of the roadbike tires)?
The stock tires are fine. I have never gotten a flat with them. There are too many factors to conclude for sure the stock tires are "BAD"..bad roads with bad surfaces, lots of debris, etc.

3. Is the DS a good overall bike or is it one of those "it does everything so it's not great at anything"?
Yes and No. It is a GREAT Overall Bike. It does NOT do everything GREAT, but it is capable. Great is so subjective because it is different to different people. If you asked me back in November if the DS was a Great Mountain Bike, i would have said yes..the best i have ever ridden. That is true back then, but when i actually rode purpose-built $4000 mountain bikes, then i realized what the DS' limits were. There are things you can do to make it close, but you sacrifice it's DUALITY by changing other parts on it. If you get Wider Bars, Dropper Seat Post, Longer Travel Fork, Wider Tires..you now have a mountain bike and it wont be a good road bike...and vice versa. Depending on what kind of riding you do and your fitment, you can upgrade your DS and make it the BEST bike you ever had.

4. Is the DS good for longer distance road riding as my stamina and fitness improve or will I be looking to change rides in the near future (this is also my concern with the MTB)?
Like you, i started pretty heavy. I was 294lbs and lost 40lbs 6 months later. At 255lbs, i started to ride and a month after that i got my DS 8.4. WHen i first started riding, 3-4 miles on the road i was wasted. Now, i ride to the gym and i use it as my warm up(4 miles from my house) and ride back. 20-25 miles on my DS is no issue.
When i first started riding on the MTB side at the Fullerton Loop, it took me 3 hours to ride 12 miles and walked all 3 of the big hills. My personal best now is 1:04!
The DS is a Great overall bike because of its versatility, comfortable semi-upright position, and lots of gear options. There are a lot of great bikes out there, but my experience is only the DS so this is what i think. I hope i shed some light on your bike options. Regardless if you get a DS or not, the key is to KEEP RIDING. Have fun!

ColinL

I would buy a 29er hardtail mountainbike. It will have a tougher fork, which will be useful for a heavier rider. Plus if you're in it for fitness, if it weighs 2-3 pounds more than a hybrid bike, it's no problem. And finally, it can use thin tires just fine when (not IF!!) you start losing weight.. all the way down to a road bike tire.

Most importantly, mountainbikes can fit big tires that will be useful for a big rider now, and all riders in the future if you ever decide to try some technical trails.

Jimbo47

It would probably be wise to listen to your local bike shop when they make a suggestion as they know what the locals ride, and also the conditions that you are likely to encounter.

You can take a mountain bike and make it road friendly, but you can't take a road bike and make into a mountain bike, and that is why a hybrid leans more to the mountain bike configuration.

choclabman

I have to agree with zerogravity. My 8.4 DS does everything I want it to do. I have a mountainbike for the singletrack in my area but I ride the 8.4 on rail-trails and on the roads. The 700 X 38 tires are fine too. Run them at lower pressures on the loose stuff and at higher pressures for road riding.

WC89

8.4 DS Good

CampDaley

Another 8.4 DS fan here. This past weekend I had it on smooth pavement, hacked up parkways, some gravel, and just a bit of sand. It handled it all. It's a pretty versatile bike.

BigScott

Thanks for all the help guys! I picked up a 8.3 DS yesterday and went for a short ride last night. I even convinced the wife to get her a new Trek Pure WSD and she loves it. She test rode many more bikes than I did!