steelyvelo

Shopping hybrid/ fitness bikes for La Mesa - San Diego. Something that will handle rough and broken pavement, well-maintained dirt and gravel roads, and moderate hills. We do have a steep section from Baltimore and Fletcher up to where Baltimore passes University El Cajon Blvd then turns into university. Like to find gearing that lets me stick with non electric bike. $1,500 budget an upright hybrid like Sirrus X 4.0, Quick 1/ Quick CX, District 4, Verve 3 disc sted comfir bike with better spec components. Open to hard tail with lockable fork, electric like Verve +3 is over current budget.

Deore M5100 looks ok, road oriented Shimano 105 and Mt Bike XT look like the best value in step up components.

How is40 T Chainring Shimano Deore M5100, 11-speed

vs

HG601, 11-speed
Shimano 105, 11-32, 11-speed

vs

Shimano SLX, 12-speed
Shimano XT, 10-51, 12-speed Rear Derailleur Shimano XT Shifters

2seven0

That's ooga-booga territory his vote x 1000.

CAT7RDR

Your weight, the bike/gear's weight, the terrain and your conditioning will be a good determiner of the type of gearing you will need.

diphthong

my friend, there are some very, very steep hills in the la mesa/mt. helix area and they are all worthy with corresponding views. do not sell yourself short regarding gearing. get the best hill-climbing gearing you can afford (regardless of the bike style) because you do not want to limit/reduce your available routes. this hill/mtn climbing gearing will come in very handy should you eventually decide to venture into the local mtns (cuyamaca/julian/palomar/lagunas/campo). just a roadie here…you will want a 32 or 34 bailout gear and you will use it. have done nearly everything difficult in socal with a 12/27 on a road bike but it ain’t easy. you will be discouraged rocking less than a 32 as a bailout unless you are supremely fit/conditioned. if you think the baltimore/el cajon/uni confluence is something, you ain’t seen nothing yet. sure, you can avoid the steep stuff but you'll get bored eventually and ride less/not at all. spring for the gearing.

straight up decent dirt action is closest in the mission trails/mission gorge area. otherwise, it'll probably be throwing the bike in the car to drive to chula vista, jamul, alpine, julian, santee, ramona, etc.
hybrid bike will bridge that dirt gap if you're comfy riding 25-30 miles on it from dtown la mesa. if you're rocking a mtb. you'll be happier driving to whatever/wherever desto but...driving.
la mesa is roadie/hybridland if you wanna roll out your back/front door.

if you're worried about pavement quality (and you should be), you'll want at least '28's. pretty sure i'm one of the few idiots that still rides '23's everywhere in socal-including dirt.