Best bike for me?

I am 6'1 235 lbs. I want something that I can ride on pavement and on some light-moderate trails. I don't want to spend over $300 on a bicycle. I have looked at some 26'' bikes but I dont think they seem big enough. What is the weight limit on most bikes? I would like ot buy in the next week or so.....help me!

I'm about your size and my 26" MTB works fine. I have a Gary Fisher Paragon(1999). Nowadays, the Paragon is a 29'er. You wont get much of a bike for 3 bills unless you can find a used one. Go to a bike shop and test ride a 29'er to see how you like the bigger wheels. Tell them your budget is about $400-500 or so as thats about the cheapest any bike shop carries. Try to visit during the week when they arent very busy to get the best service. After a test ride or two, you will be better informed as to what you want and can start shopping around the used bike market perhaps. NEVER buy a bike on a first visit; you need time to 'sleep on it' (for several days) and get a bike you love, not one that merely fits a dollar figgur. A bike is a big, long-term investment, so spending a little more up front is cheaper in the long run........

I've included two articles I've written on bike types and bike sizes. Hopefully this will help. You should be able to get a mountain or cyclocross bike for your budget.

Go to a bike shop. A REAL bike shop. They're trained to fit you and will make sure you get a decent bike that won't crater under you (you're a big guy). Stay away from department store POS gas-pipe bikes...they'll fall apart while you're riding. $300 won't buy much of a bike, but you might be able to find a decent used one.

You want a hardtail mountain bike or a hybrid. Do go to the bike shops and let them fit you properly. They can also recommend the right kind of bike depending on your size, where and how you want to ride, and your budget. The bike shops will have bikes in the $300 range. Don't buy from the big box stores. Their cheaper bikes will be heavy, won't work as well, nor last very long.

HTH

I would recommend you go alittle over 300, maybe 450, but PLEASE DONT GO TO A SHOP. They are WAY OVERPRICED. You need a 19" hardtail mountain bike. You can get a decent hardtail for that price. Make sure the frame size is 19" or even more and buy one online, even with shipping it is still much cheaper.

There are plenty of guys taller than you that ride 26" MTBs - it's a fact. What you need to do is look in a bike shop or maybe a sports store that carries a choice of frame sizes. Wal Mart and the like may not carry your size - it's one size fits all there.

I am 6'2" and was 256 pounds last spring. I choose a Trek 7200 hybrid bike to ride the roads and occasional trial and was very happy with the choice.

I would go to a local bike shop and see what they say