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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,239
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
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Before you get too deep into selections based on weight, think about tire clearance.
I regularly ride three different rail trails, one has a fairly hard packed surface and I often use 32mm wide tires which my rando bike has. But one trail often has a bit more mud or soft spots, for that rail trail I usually use my light touring bike with 37mm wide tires, they handle the soft spots better. And one rail trail often has washouts and erosion problems, sometimes it is maintained with loose sand in the eroded areas, any tire gets questionable. That said, I think a lot of bikes with 37 to 40mm wide tires would work quite well for most people that want to ride most rail trails. I would not suggest anything narrower for a maximum clearance for a bike that is intended for that purpose.
Talk to others that ride the same trails that you are interested in, ask them what tire widths they like for the trails.
You want a bike frame and fork that can take the maximum width that you might want to use.
Later you might consider a second set of wheels if you want to use the bike for paved roads too. I can't comment on the cost of a second set of wheels, you likely are looking at a through axle bike, that could rule out older used budget wheel sets.