I"m sure you'll get alot of opinions on this
In my opinion, there are 3 levels of bikes
The first is big box store bikes. They will be the cheapest
The second is bike store entry level bikes - typically these are brands like Trek , Specialized , Felt, and Giant. I'm sure there are many other brands.
then you have the high end stuff.
If you think this is a fleeting interest and you want to try it out before you go all in, then , again, IMO, an $80 wal-mart mountain bike will do to get you started.
The difference will be it will be a cheaper grade aluminum (or steel), the seat will be minimal and the shifters/gears will be pretty basic. It may or may not have suspension of some type.
My wife and I bought used slightly higher end bikes off Craigslist. She has a Giant Cypress and I have a Giant Revel. We ordered gel/foam seats off amazon for about $20 a pop. These are like 15 year old bikes - the gears and brakes work fine and its a higher quality bike we scooped for about $65 a pop. Then we took them in for a tuneup to a bike shop for $25 a piece.
The real issue however is not so much the bike brand but how it fits you. When you're a kid, you just hop on the bike and ride - you don't give a schit if your feet can barely touch the ground or whatever, but at my age, the bike has to fit. I would suggest considering a type with higher handle bars to give you less strain on your back and hands. When you are 8 miles in and your back hurts, your hands are numb and your knees are creaking, you'll be wishing you took the time to find a bike that fit you better. The next bike I get is going to be a multi-speed cruiser - like a modern version of a 50's era bike , but my riding is mostly level trails and bike paths.
Gears are overblown, IMO too. While they aren't much of a cost factor, a 7 speed bike is just as effective as a 21 speed.
just my .02 cents
Last edited by KFWA; 05/24/19.
