Questions about Riding in and around St. Louis

[sweitee]

I'm moving to StL from Philadelphia soon and I wanted to ask if anyone has any insight on what they like about riding in St Louis. For reference, I'll be living in the city itself.

What types of riding are popular? I prefer to ride from my doorstep. I know there will be some kind of road scene and I've looked into the outdoor velodrome. Is there any mountain biking to be had a ride-able distance from the city? I know that once you get into either rural IL or MO there are plenty of gravel roads, but again can you get to any of those easily if you were to do a 50-70 mile loop starting from Forest Park?

What kind of commuter is best suited for short trips within Saint Louis itself?

Say you could have 3 bikes to cover your preferred riding in StL, what would you choose and why?