Definitely a hybrid.

I was a bicycle messenger many years ago and a recreational cyclist for years after that. I have a couple of different bikes and while living in DC proper the only time I took out my mountain bike was for the C&O Canal and a few other off-road paths. In fact I rode my racing bike on the canal more than a few times and because it is so hard packed it's a pretty easy ride, even with narrow tires.

Around the city I'd second the suggestion about comfort. A racing bike can be kind of hunched over at times, and if you are looking for some more casual cycling sitting in a more upright position might be a bit better. The biggest issue will be the tire size, as thicker tires and/or knobby tires will make the commute much harder.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the trails are paved, a road bike. They are so much faster and he’ll like that if he’s using it for transportation. If the trails are not paved, hybrid definitely.

If someone rides their bike for transportation around DC or MD, do you find that most of the trails, and roads are paved? Because none of us have ever done it, we don't exactly know.

Yes. Not many people use the C&O canal towpath for transportation. There used to be the all gravel Georgetown Branch Trail, but that is shut for Purple Line construction, and will be reopened as a paved trail when it is done. There are of course streets whose condition is such as to make "paved" seem dubious, places where a quick short cut on gravel makes sense, etc, but most people on road bikes are okay in such places.

I would think the first issue is how comfortable they are riding. Road bikes are faster, but hybrids which put you more upright can be more comfortable for a beginner to ride in traffic, because it is easier to look around, and its a more natural posture for most people. Let them try both kinds.

Anonymous wrote:If the trails are paved, a road bike. They are so much faster and he’ll like that if he’s using it for transportation. If the trails are not paved, hybrid definitely.

If someone rides their bike for transportation around DC or MD, do you find that most of the trails, and roads are paved? Because none of us have ever done it, we don't exactly know.

If the trails are paved, a road bike. They are so much faster and he’ll like that if he’s using it for transportation. If the trails are not paved, hybrid definitely.

Hybrid - it will stand up to the beating that it will get on the roads, and will be fine on the trails too.

What kind of bike would you buy for an older teen/young adult who wants it as a form of transportation? We live in Bethesda, and he works in Rockville, and likes to hang out in Georgetown and Downtown Silver Spring, so there would be lots of trail riding (Capital Crescent, Rock Creek Park, Trolley Trail) and road biking.

He's hoping to buy one with his Christmas money, but isn't sure what he wants.