Subject: thinking about a new bike but what kind?I'm getting a little burned out on the issues I have riding the farm roads around here. The biggest issues are being chased by dogs on almost every ride, wind, and farm equipment or the debris left in the road from the farm equipment. I guess I've read to many hit by car threads on BT because I just don't feel very safe and I'm often pretty tense on my rides. I still love to ride but I often go to a State Park and ride around the paved road through the park which is only a 6 mile loop. This park also has some trails which if I had the right kind of bike I think I would enjoy incorporating into a longer ride. There is one hiking trail which is mostly wood chips, no steep climbs, a tiny bit of grass, lots of curves as it winds around a lake. Then there are several horse trails which I believe are mostly grass with a footpath created by the horses. So is there a do it all kind of bike that would be fun to ride on the road but be able to handle some off road stuff too? I have a hybrid that would probably work but, well, I guess I just don't like riding it. It is heavy and slow and I sit straight up and feel like a granny riding it. |