I'd love to have a good bike for road use here in Pittsburgh as well as having the ability to do a bit (not hardcore) trail riding with it.
The question is.... where do I start?
I want a new bike, something fitted for my size, something solid, something that doesnt require difficult maintenance and something that doesn't break the bank...
Any suggestions?
Been using a Gary Fisher Big Sur for a few years now. Fairly easy to work on, great lightweight frame that's durable as you could possibly need, but not too cheap unless you go used, but when you go used most likely the rough stock parts will have already been replaced with better ones, saving you a lot of work.
Second the GF. Even though Trek makes 'em (and when I was hardcore I was prejudiced) I bought a Marlin last year. I don't know what ya mean by 'my size' but if you're big like me The Marlin, a 29er with that goes up to a 23" frame. Go to a decent bike shop and try on different brands and models and find somebody that offers maintenance as part of the deal.
