Hey all~

I was wondering if any of you have any sound advice on purchasing a bicycle. There are two beautiful bike paths where I live, and both lead to places I need to go anyway (school, work). Since the weather is getting so nice, I thought it would be a good idea to work my way up to biking to work or school once a week.. then twice.. etc, especially for the days that are so packed I might not make it to the gym.

Any wise advice? I'm a total novice here; my last bike was in high school and it was from Target.

Does the college you go to have a surplus sale? I bought my cruiser at our local university's surplus sale and then had it tuned up at the local bike shop. It's in great shape and I think total (including tune up) cost me around $100. Or you could look on craigslist. Of course, this is assuming you are on a budget, if not then maybe some one else will have suggestions.

Do you know what kind of bike you are looking for? Cruiser? Mountain bike? Something with multiple speeds? There are so many options out there.

I'm sorry I don't have more technical advice. Oh, some really important advice, make sure you wear a helmet! People don't always see you and it's better to be safe.

A Trek Hybrid is a fantastic bike for that purpose, and unlike many bikes they come in women specific frames, so you won't get the horrible sore neck from reaching on a bike designed for a man with a longer torso. It wouldn't necessarily be the most economical option, but if you want a good quality bike with gears for hills, etc., I recommend it. Also, if you have a shop that sells Treks, they offer great service and always "fit" you for the bike before you buy. To me, comfort while riding is important, so again, another selling point. I have so many friends and colleagues who get gung ho about biking, buy a WalMart bike (or similar), and find it so heavy and cumbersome and uncomfortable that they end up never riding it.

Definitely go to one or two bike stores.. I bought a basic mountain bike (Schwinn) because I am not riding on the road for long distances...just in the parks.. and I am not concerned about speed..but if I was going to commute I would have got a Trek Road Bike.

But my bike is not too uncomfortable.

There are definitely big differences in price so shop around. Good Luck! The bike stores are extremely busy right now because many people are getting bikes because of the high prices and the riding season has just started so be patient.

The Treks are not cheap but they will last a while and if it is replacing the option of using a car for a short period of time, then it will pay for itself. Plus you'll get a workout in

I'm with walking2lose, we bought trek hybrids and just love them.

Yep, I'm with the others - I just got a Trek hybrid and it's excellent. It was last year's model so it wasn't as expensive as the floor models.

The salesperson should hold on to the bike while you sit and pedal to check for the fit and how high your knees rise, and help find the right frame size and make any necessary adjustments. Take a test ride. Ask how long you have to change your mind.

If you can spend some extra money you will have a bike you love and use often - and that's the point, right? Enjoy!

Thank you all so much for your input!!

Let us know what you get and how you like it!

I also recommend a Trek hybrid. I'm absolutely infatuated with mine and I'm very very sad I have to leave it all summer.

I think I'm going to ask for it for my birthday! Thanks guys!

I ride through the trails in the park in our neighborhood often. (But not to work - that's 5 miles through downtown at rush hour and I value life and limb.) My biggest recommendation would be to invest in a comfy seat! I replaced the one that came with the bike with a slightly larger, more padded model and it made a big difference! Now I can enjoy the scenery and focus on getting a good workout instead of the pain in my tush.

Ditto on getting a comfy seat,one would think that it would come with a comfy seat with what the price of the bike is.