Need Hybrid Bike Recommendation

And here I was thinking you needed a bicycle with gasoline/electric power.

And here I was thinking you needed a bicycle with gasoline/electric power.

That's what I thought!

I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations of a good hybrid street/mountain bicycle. I am leaning toward a hybrid instead of a mountain bike as I do most of my riding on paved streets and just a little off-road. I am not looking for anything too fancy, primarily in the under $400 range. Thanks.

Mine is a Marin, Bobcat - I don't know if it's a hybrid or not. It is very lightweight. I generally ride on the road but it also did well in our local bike paths. It did fine in the sand, over the "rooty" sections, and even in the swampy parts. I don't know about cost. Mine was liberated from someone's garbage. All it needed was innertubes and air.

Even if you intend to ride only on the paved path, a mountain bike is the better choice. The hybrids tend to sit you to straight, forcing you to use to much leg to power it. The mtn bike allows you to engage your body more effectively to power the machine. Put 1.5" road tires on it and your good. Change your mind and want do ride some trail, change tires and your off!

Even if you intend to ride only on the paved path, a mountain bike is the better choice. The hybrids tend to sit you to straight, forcing you to use to much leg to power it. The mtn bike allows you to engage your body more effectively to power the machine. Put 1.5" road tires on it and your good. Change your mind and want do ride some trail, change tires and your off!

That's a good idea, I hadn't thought about the tire switch. Thanks!

I spent a long time hunting a bike a couple of years ago. After "trying on" quite a few, I decided the most important thing to consider was getting a frame that felt right and was the right size. I ended up changing out the seat and the handlebars on a stock hybrid to get a configuration that is comfortable for my particular body. I'm mostly upright because I want to be in that position, but the bike works fine on the forest trails too. Much of this is individual comfort. So I would say, find a good, sturdy and comfortable frame and then configure the seat, handlebars and tires to your needs. A good bike shop can help you figure out what you will be happy with.

We bought a hybrid for the, ummm, less athletic member of the TreeFrog household. With the addition of a different seat, it proved exactly what was needed. Schwinn, $300 at Steve's in Panama City.

Even if you intend to ride only on the paved path, a mountain bike is the better choice. The hybrids tend to sit you to straight, forcing you to use to much leg to power it. The mtn bike allows you to engage your body more effectively to power the machine. Put 1.5" road tires on it and your good. Change your mind and want do ride some trail, change tires and your off!

excellent advice, jack. The tire width and tread make a tremendous difference when pedaling any distance. One other thing to remember is tire pressure. More pressure will give you a more firm ride, but will require much less effort. Less pressure absorbs more shock, but requires more energy while pedaling.