Bongani

In the last 1 1/2 years I have taken up mountain biking. I have done three races of 65km (40 mile) each, try to train 3 mornings a week, and get a longer ride in when I can. I realize I will never be a competitor (I'm 44 years old, don't have a lot of experience riding, and don't have a lot of time for training), but I get a charge out of doing my best and being in God's great outdoors. I find I most enjoy long rides on trails/dirt roads. My dream is a 6-8 day ride with a few friends on trails and dirt roads, travelling 6-7 hours per day, and spending the nights in houses (alright, so I'm not into roughing it. I like camping too, but after long, fun days on the trail I do like a hot bath, a hot meal, and a soft bed). I'm wondering what kind of bike would be best for me. I hear this term "cross country" bike, and that sounds about right, but I have no idea what kind of bike that is; I am long on enthusiasm and short on knowledge. I would like the bike to be comfortable (at 44 years of age and counting, comfort gets more important), durable (I'm a poor mechanic and would rather have a bullet-proof and heavier bike than a high performance and high maintainance one), and give good visibility (so I can enjoy the countryside I'm passing through; I don't like hunching forward with my head down, a position more competitive bikes might force me into). I am a male, height 5 feet 7 inches (1.67 meters), weight 160 pounds (72kg). I welcome any tips or comments, including the names of specific bikes I should consider (like "2010 GT Avalanche 2.0"). Thank you, Rudy Poglitsh email: rpoglitsh@yahoo.com

pablosnazzy

get a 17.5" trek rumblefish

or a medium santa cruz blur LT - https://www.santacruzmtb.com/blurlt/

junkyard

2010 GT Avalanche 2.0. It's especially notable for its lack of blind spots, leading to high visibility.

Daspydyr 

Scott Scale, scary fast bikes. You can probably get a 2010 Spark (F/S) if your budget is $650. I am older than you kid and like riding a Lazy Boy for exercise.