Pwngae

Just bought a used beater to start commuting to work and have been enjoying they and also working it into my work out routine. I know very little about what sets bikes apart.
I would use it for mostly roads but would also like it capable of some trail riding. I live in Minnesota so it wouldn't be anything too crazy. I know there's a trek and Cannondale dealer near me but should be able to get my hands on just about any bike.
Also, are disc brakes really that much better or when is it worth the extra expense?

Rhondito

I'd go with a gravel bike, like the Cannondale Topstone. I have a Giant gravel bike that I love and I ride it off and on-road at times. The geometry is super comfy and the larger tires makes the ride smoother.
As for disc brakes, I've had both rim and disc and I will never go back to rim brakes. To me, there's no comparison.

Nyah

Chromoly touring bicycles are what I prefer and recommend for commuting on roads of all types. Chromoly is smooth enough to not need suspension on gravel and it lasts practically forever as long as you don't let it rust. Touring bicycles are designed to accept all kinds of racks, fenders and have gearing to handle all kinds of grades.

Random11

I agree that a gravel bike sounds like a good fit for you. But unless you're really sure about what you want (and from your question, it seems you're not), you might want to hold down the price you pay, figuring that you can ride a new bike for a year or so to figure out what you really want, and then spend the bucks to get that. As for disk brakes, rim brakes do the job and have been used on bikes for a long time, but disk brakes have much more stopping power. My desires in a bike seem a lot like yours, and I have a Specialized Diverge.

Pwngae

I should specify that definitely less than $1000, aiming for good bang for the buck quality and not feature rich or something

kaiserschmarrn

I had rim brakes for many years, then stopped riding. I recently started riding after a long absence, then got two new bikes with hydraulic disc brakes and thought they were great. I then got a vintage rim brake street bike. When I went back to rim brakes I found that hydraulic disc brakes were really a MASSIVE increase in braking power and smoothness. I do prefer the looks of a rim brake bike, but there is no doubt about the superiority of hydraulic disc brakes.

Danny

Random11

I've been riding less than three years. I was a runner but increasing knee problems pushed me to stop running and get a bike. I bought a bike for $450 at a LBS. I was looking at the range of bikes and the sales person showed me one that was $2000. I couldn't imagine spending that much on a bike, and even thought my $450 bike was pretty expensive. I rode it for 20 months as my mileage grew along with my desire for higher-end features, and a little over a year ago bought my Diverge, with carbon fiber frame and Ultegra drive train, for much more than I could have imagined spending on a bike a few years ago. I think you're wise to try to keep the price down on a new bike, because you'll likely find that if you take to cycling, in a year or two you'll want a bike that's well beyond what you could even imagine buying right now. That was true in my case, anyway.

altondavis2

You live near a Trek dealer. Go down and take a look at some of their Dual-Sport models.
They're priced between $500-700 and you can get a good sturdy bike with disc brakes
reasonable tires, seat, etc. Beyond that Trek has several other lines of bikes in the same
price range. Good Luck, you should be able to find something there.

Kristina john

I have a BMX and i loved it a lot. I mostly drive at night to enjoy the view.

Thomas15

I say when asked that I restarted riding bikes about 20 months ago after 25 years off the bike. In actual fact I had a brief bicycle tryst about 15 years ago when I bought a hybrid thinking it would get me into primitive mountain trail riding. I rode that bike for about 400 miles and put it away until 20 months ago. I thought that when and if I started riding seriously it would be on trails or worse case multi-use trails not on the road.

Today I have given up on mountain biking except for once in a while. I have passed the 4000 mile mark for 2020 on a road bike. So, what I'm I trying to say? I thought that my road cycling days were over but once I got going found that I want to ride the roads. Others may go a different route so it's as others have said best to do this a while to see where your actual interests are then buy a bike best suited for that activity.

Pwngae

Do you think the dual sport or FX line would be better?

fietsbob

depends entirely on whether you want a suspension fork, or a little lighter bike..

mack_turtle

the FX rigid forks and slick tires are fast and light on the road, but will become a liability on any surface rougher than a crushed gravel walking path. the DS suspension fork and knobby tires will be more capable on dirt paths and trails, but don't mistake it for the capabilities of a mountain bike.

the FX and Dual Sport bikes are both hybrids. they will be upright and "comfortable." great for casual riding for shorter distances. both bikes will not compare to a true road, gravel, or mountain bike in terms of performance if you want to ride faster, longer, and more challenging terrain.

altondavis2

RIde both of them and see which one feels best to you.