Looking for recommendations on an adult bicycle.
I havent ridden in years, but my needs should be simple... 2 wheels, less than 80 gears, something like a hybrid that I could use to get around the area but also take on a trail occasionally.
Im confused by sizes, which seem like a sort of hit-and-miss affair. Im around 160 (pounds) if that helps.
Hey Patric, this thread kind of drifted off to tire pressure and so I went back to your original post. Based on your criteria, I think you want to look at a low-end mountain bike. You can't take a road bike on trails, and I'd steer clear of hybrids and any older mountain bikes without front shocks. I had a very cool older Giant hybrid from the '90s that I rode for years and loved, but between the lack of front shocks and the hybrid rims, it just wasn't suited for any kind of off-road trail. The front shocks don't cost you much in terms of energy transfer on pavement and really make a difference on trails, and of course the larger wheels/tires on a mountain bike are basically required for trail riding.
If you go this route, you might consider having two wheel sets. One with a smooth tread for road/path riding, and one with a more aggressive tread for trail riding. Stay low-end, and you can add the extra wheel set for a reasonable price. I did this for my son's bike and it was a good compromise set up before we got two separate bikes for him. (We are now an eight-bike family...)