what peddle bike should i buy?

looking for a sturdy peddle bike. something I will be able to use now as well as a year from now when I am not 400#. stopped at a Trek shop and looking at a Marlin 6. anyone out there have any suggestions? I'm not planning on going up and down mountains/trails but perhaps some gravel and easy trails.

Trek is a great brand with a very good reputation for being solidly-built. The Marlin looks like a great bike!

That said, if you're just starting out and you're not sure you want to commit to a $600 bike, I'd suggest checking out Craigslist to see if you could find something used. People often sell bikes in good shape when they upgrade to nicer rides, so you should be able to find a nice MTB in the $200 range.

And don't forget a helmet!! :)

I got a woman's Trek (I think it's the Verve) on Craigslist for a steal! Only 2 years old and still had the nubbies on the tires... we talked him down to $85.00...

I love it, and the deal was unbeatable!

Hopefully SparkleKitty will reply -- she's an avid biker and has been through her loss -- so she can give you great advice.

Since you are starting at a heavier weight, I would recommend a sturdy upright bike because your belly, hips and thighs will hit and that will make you ride with your knees over-extended. This puts strain on your knees and hips -- but that will lessen as you go down and is mitigated by being more upright.

Depends on what you want to do with it. I would not suggest buying a MTB if you want to ride on paved surfaces. You could look into a CX bike (cyclocross). My husband is 400# and got a Specialized CX bike and was incredibly pleased. If you were to purchase a MTB, you'll work MUCH harder on paved surfaces because the tires are meant to grip uneven and slippery terrain and they are HEAVY. Cyclocross bikes have smoother tires better for handling a variety of terrains.

Also, my husband and I never really enjoyed biking until we bought good quality bikes that were designed for the type of riding we were doing. You'll find with a bike that you spend a little bit more money on, your shifting will be smoother, braking more reliable, and the bike will be lighter. All of these things combined will let you get more out of your investment because you'll enjoy riding more.

I HIGHLY recommend going to your local bike shop and just talking to folks-- they are a friendly bunch and will be incredibly accommodating, I promise! You'll probably learn more than you ever wanted :-P

I race MTB and road. I can help if you have more questions!

It's really easy to pop some road slicks on an MTB or hybrid, and I get the impression that a hybrid or MTB is has the potential to be a lot more affordable than a CX bike. I started with a Diamondback hybrid and put slicks on it, and it was more than adequate for riding on paved trails until I got serious enough to buy a road bike.

I agree that a good bike is totally worth the money, but it's also worth noting that starting with something basic and then upgrading later can be an OK strategy too-- especially if you don't know that you'll be into cycling long-term. It'd be a shame to drop $800 on a nice ride and then be out all that cash if you decide cycling isn't really your thing.

Agreed-- it's very easy to put road wheels on a hybrid (most come with tires more suited for road/paved trails anyway), not so much with a MTB. The forks aren't really designed for road wheels, and you'd have to buy new wheels to accommodate the smaller tire size.

But if he's already looking at a Trek, then he's already committed to spending a few hundred on a bike. He's going to find much better components in this price range than a $150 big box store bike put together by John Doe. IMHO, we found much more enjoyment in cycling after we went to a bike shop than buying a heavy aluminum bike at a big box store.