Crafry

I'm looking at buying a relatively cheap Hybrid bike as my first bike since I was a kid, the bike I was aiming to get was a Trek DualSport 2 but based on the few local shops I went to they said it would probably be about a year before they would actually have some available. As a result I went over to Dick's to see what they had available because I know the one in my area actually has a repair shop in it as well so I trusted them a bit more than other big box stores. The 2 hybrid bikes they had available were a Schwinn GTX-3 ($400) and a Nishiki Anasazi hybrid ($430).
I'm obviously a novice and I'm really not sure how "into it" I will get so I don't really mind that neither of these are the "best choice", I was just looking for some advice as to which of these 2 was a better option. Anything helps (:

I was going to provide a link to each bike but I'm not allowed to post external links as a new member.
Thanks in advance!

Slowkevin

I got the Anasazi for my gf. I got a Crosstrail disc before I got it and the specs were nearly identical. Same derailleur and brakes - only difference was the Crosstrail had better tires and a lockout for the fork. The Anasazi is my choice - I converted hers to 650b for easier riding without issue and every time I ride it I’m impressed because it basically is the same as my Crosstrail but I paid almost half as much.

hokiefyd 

Bike components are really just commodity type items and you'll find a lot of similarities across the market. The Nishiki uses a Suntour NVX fork which is pretty much the same as the fork you'll find on the Trek DS, Giant Roam, etc. It has the same Suntour triple crankset you'll find on entry level Treks. It has the same Altus RD-M310 you'll find on bikes in this class. It has an 8/9/10-speed freehub body, making it upgradeable in time. The tires are 40mm Innovas which are not great tires, but they're just as good as the factory tires you'll find on bike store bikes.

If the bike fits you well and you like how it rides, I'd absolutely buy it and get riding. Maybe you'll want something else next year. Maybe you won't. But you'll be out riding this year and you'll get a feel for what you might like and not like. If you think the fit is perfect and just want to upgrade the drivetrain later, you can do that. Or if you like everything but the inexpensive cable-pull disc brakes, you could upgrade to hydraulic discs and have a bike that really stops well with low effort.

I think the Nishiki is a better bike than the Schwinn. The Schwinn has a lower spec drivetrain with a 7-speed freewheel. For nearly the same money, I'd pass on the Schwinn.

Slowkevin

I got my Crosstrail down to 22.4 lbs with XT hydraulic brakes and 25 mm wheels, and replacing almost everything else and this thing is basically the same so it also has the upgradeability that the Schwinn doesn’t have.