Picking out my first bike! Help!

[Yessiritskaren]

Hi everyone,

I am trying to buy my first bike and need some help! I've gone to a couple of local bike shops and have tried a couple and now I can't decide. I'm new to cycling so I don't really know too much about bikes. I'm 5'3" 170 lbs, I will mostly be riding on paced bike trails, roads, occasionally dirt paths. I am mostly riding for fitness and to ride around with friends. The bikes I've tried mostly road bikes and hybrids. The ones I have tried are the following:
1)Giant escape 1w
2)Specialized vita
3)Cannondale quick

I really liked escape and vita but wanted to get an opinion on all these bikes. I was hoping to spend anywhere from $500 up to ~$750. Any comments or ideas are greatly appreciated!

[Yessiritskaren]

Not to make it more complicated, but if you can find a Jamis dealer, the Jamis Coda is worth a look.

Unfortunately no Jamis dealer close by to me that bike looks similar to the ones I've been trying though! Thanks for the input. Was hoping to pick out a bike soon, just can't seem to make up my mind.

[Yessiritskaren]

Coda Sport

For the bikes you mentioned, which one felt best? Were there issues with any of them?

They all felt really similar so it makes it difficult to choose. I may need to go in to try them all again. But from what I remember they all felt really nice! It's definitely a difference when riding a nice bike for the first time vs some cheap bike from a big box store.

[ny biker]

Well, a hybrid would be more versatile, in the sense that it would be better for dirt paths. A road bike would be lighter and faster, and probably easier for riding up hills.

Fit is the most important thing. You don't want to be too stretched out, feeling like you're leaning forward too much, have hunched shoulders, that sort of thing.

[Catrin]

They all felt really similar so it makes it difficult to choose. I may need to go in to try them all again. But from what I remember they all felt really nice! It's definitely a difference when riding a nice bike for the first time vs some cheap bike from a big box store.

See if they will allow you to go on a longer bike ride - most bikes feel good on short rides so if you can take them on a longer ride that might give you some information that will help you decide which one wants to go home with you