Midwife: Great idea to start this thread! I just returned myself from a rail to trail ride with the family. Very different experience from riding with my Tuesday evening group. :lol3: Halfway through we had to stop and readjust his gears. Poor little guy was working so hard and just couldn't stay in a higher gear. I know how that feels...credit to him though. He finished. After the ride DH promised the boys ice cream.

Since there are a few cyclists out there, does anyone have a suggestion or preference for a women's road bike. YES! I'm still looking. I bought a little time this past month because we were rained out three weeks ago and the previous two weeks the other two women were out of town.

Midwife I think it is wonderful that you have the opportunity to learn all about your bike through this group. I'm going to inquire as I shop for my bike about this too. I think that perhaps my friends could assist me as well but I would really like to attend a workshop of some sort. Something organized where they will think of all of the questions I may have before I know that I may even have them. :s:

I just found this thread and it's perfect for my questions! I recently twisted my ankle when I was out walking. It's better! But I managed to hurt my foot when I went for a five mile walk with an ankle wrap on. The foot hurts a lot and I don't think I'll be walking for a few days to a couple of weeks. I belong to Curves, but I can't go to Curves with a bad foot either. Plus, I just had two stiches put in my arm when I had a mole removed, so I want to steer clear of any strength training.

So...to continue a long story, I decided I want to go buy a bike and start cycling for excercise at least until my foot gets better and probably on and off after that. I've been wanting to buy a bike for a couple of months, but couldn't justify the money.

I'll be riding mostly country roads (I love in a small town about 5 miles outside a bigger town) and maybe to class and back one day a week. I think it's about ten miles to school and it sounds like it's a reasonable distance. Between the price of gas, the cost of parking and how busy I am going to be once school starts back up, it sounds like the perfect solution!

With that in mind, I need suggestions on.....everything! Mostly on what kind of bike to buy. I was an experienced rider 'back in the day' (high school) but that's so long ago! And that was in a big city with side-walks everywhere. It's totally different here,m so any other bits of advice would be appreciated too. :)

I have been looking on craigs list in the champaign-urbana, il area. Anyone able/willing to pop on there and see what's for sale and offer suggestions? Oh! I'm 5'4" and 188 right now-I guess height matters for type of bike, yes?

Midwife -- do we have the same color Trek? Looks pretty close! Love the new avatar!

Hey Josephine! Mine is kind of a copper orange.

I'm going to go start an August thread, so folks with bike questions, pop over there. I am too much of a novice to give much advice about what kind of bike to get or to offer tips. I bought mine cause it was copper orange. :) And a Trek. And a cool mountain bike. And in the price range. DH made the call for brakes and shocks and that kind of stuff. :lol:

See ya in the August thread!