Day-trip bike for hefty 40-year-old woman? I have an Electra Townie 7d, and I'm quite fond of her (sorry, I do anthropomorphize my bike) as a commuter and farmer's-market hauler, but I'd like a more efficient bike for afternoon-trips (say, 50 miles round-trip), mostly on rails-to-trails with gravel or dirt surfaces.

I have done 40 miles on the Townie, but it's harder than I think it needs to be. She's slow (I sometimes have trouble keeping up with my husband on his Trek FX), she absolutely loathes even slight uphill inclines, and because so much of my weight is thrown backward, the longer rides give me a numb butt.

About me:


Hefty. Figure me + gear + water = 250 lbs.
Casual rider
Forty. FORGET about anything but a relatively upright position.
Not great at bike maintenance (I can fix a flat, change brake pads, and adjust my saddle... that's about it).


What I think I'm looking for (feel free to disagree):


Something in the hybrid/fitness/touring line
Aluminum frame (I don't trust myself to maintain steel properly; also, my Townie is heavily scratched, so...)
No fancy "suspension" forks, please.
Women's geometry (mixte or step-through a plus, but not required)
Straight handlebars, possibly with upright bar-ends
Quality components and minimal maintenance a HUGE plus. Internal hub, maybe?
Braze-ons for two bottle cages and a rear rack (I'm old; on day trips I carry first aid for the bike AND for me...) Rear fender a plus, but I can live with a mudguard.


What bike models might work? How do I best eliminate models that won't? Let's say a maximum of USD$3000 for price, but cheaper would be fabulous. Please also rec good components that I should be looking at, considering my weight.
Any standard non-racing bike can handle 250 pounds.
If you can handle those maintenance items you're better than the average cyclist.
There's no extra maintenance required for a steel vs aluminum frame -- it takes decades for rust to damage a steel frame even if left outside most of the time.  An aluminum frame, being a softer metal, is somewhat more easily damaged (though the difference is probably negligible in normal conditions).  But aluminum may be 2-3 pounds lighter.
If you're having trouble keeping up with your hubby you probably want something with a few more gears.  An internal gear hub likely is a step in the wrong direction.


I think basically you just want a good quality "hybrid".  The Cannondale Quick 3, for instance, would meet most of your requirements, though there are no doubt a dozen others.  The only real problem with the Quick 3 is that it's got 700C wheels and, depending on your height, you might be better off with a 26" wheel.  Unfortunately, good women's bikes in smaller sizes are a rarity.