Adult Bicycle

[AngieB]

Maybe your tires are a bit thicker than the road tires.

It's a hybrid. So, yeah.

[rebound]

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...)

[Conan71]

(We are now an eight-bike family...)

Underachiever 

[sauerkraut]

Sears sold some solid hard rubber no flat tires in the 1980's- the drawback- the bike became much harder to pedal, I guess rolling resistance really increased or something. You used the standard bike tire, but instead of the tube you put in a gray colored solid rubber tube, it's harder to install than a regular tube.

[Ed W]

Tom's rents bikes so it's possible to try one before deciding on a purchase.

Ed W

[aa5drvr]

The best answer is, "LBS."  Local Bike Shop.
The key to enjoying the sport is a good fit.  Ergonomics are key.
Many of the brands we recognize from our childhood such as Schwinn, that are sold at big box stores are actually from China made under a licensing agreement for the famous name.
Any local bike shop will pay off in spades in terms of your enjoyment, reliability, and staying involved. 
If you buy a poor-fitting, ill suited bike, because the price was low, you may give up after the first day because its so miserable.
Not condoning any LBS over the other.  IMHO most LBS's are not in business to make a killing, but rather because they enjoy the sport and are disciples for such.
A LBS may be a bit intimidating at first, but relax and dont buy the first one you see. 

[Ed W]

I went looking for a Canadian blog called the Bike of Doom. A guy bought a Canadian Tire bicycle and documented all the problems and repairs he had with it. Short version: It cost more in repairs than the original cost of the bicycle over the first year. Sadly, Bike of Doom is no more.

But some local guy called CycleDog has a longish thread at: http://cycledog.blogspot.com/2009/03/walmart-and-bicycle-shaped-objects.html

Here's another reason to avoid big box store bikes. Patrick McManus once said that his bike had been assembled by the local village fiend. Perhaps the guy works here.