Assuming that you don't already have an acceptable bike to ride - you'll need to get yourself a new bike. You have a couple options here.

1. Buy from a bike shop
If you buy a bike from a bike shop you will most likely get a good bike that was properly put together (safety), that will properly fit you (confort). Most bike shops will give you a free tune-up or even a year worth of free tune-ups on the bike.

2. Buy a used bike (Craigslist or ebay)
A used bike is a decent way to get a good bike for a cheaper price than the bike store would be. A lot of people buy nice bikes and don't do much with them - so they sell them. It can be dangerous to buy a bike before seeing it in person and even riding it. You might get a bike that doesn't fit you or a bike that needs a lot of work to make it ridable. Buy a used bike cheap and pay a bike shop a little bit to give it a full tune up and you could be ready to go.

3. Buy a bike at Wal-Mart (or similar big store)
This will likely be the cheapest option - but most of that time that is also what you will get - a cheap bike that was put together by someone that is not properly trained to put bikes together. You wouldn't buy a car if it was assembled by some random guy at Wal-Mart would you? If you are going to put a lot of miles on your bike I would highly recommend not going this route.

There are still a lot of decisions to be made. There are a wide variety of bikes ranging from hardcore mountain bikes that can handle the most extreme terrain to the ultra light road bikes that are built to go fast on nothing but smooth pavement. Then there is everything in between these two extreme ends of the bike spectrum.

Hybrids, cyclocross, touring, comfort and beach cruisers are just a few examples of other types of bikes that you may run into.

No matter what somoene might call your bike there are a few factors that will be important.

1. Handlebars
Do you want flat handlebars like most mountain bikes have or drop bars like most road bikes have? The flat bars are usually wider which gives a little better control and they are usually cheaper. The drop bars give you more hand positions which will become more important the further you go on the bike.

2. Gears
Some bikes have 27 or more speeds, some have 9 speeds, some have 3 speeds, some have only a single speed. If you don't content with a lot of wind and/or hills, a single speed bike may be nice. They are easier on maintenance and a good bit cheaper.

3. Rack mounts
Do you plan on hauling a bunch of stuff with you on your bike ride? A backpack will probably work but it is much more comfortable to put your stuff on your bike rather than your back. Some bikes have braze-ons - which are a small permanent fitting attached to the frame. These are used to attach fenders, racks, water bottle holders, etc. If you want to add a rack to your bike make sure to get something with braze-ons for it. You can do it without the braze-ons but it is easier with them.

4. Tires
Three factors in choosing tires are size and tread. There are different heights and widths of tires. Width and tread of the tire are the more important factors.

If you plan on riding on city street 100% of the time there is no reason you need to get really knobby mountain bike tires. Slick tires will be more efficient for pedaling along city streets.

A narrower tire means more air pressure can be put into the tube. The more air pressure in the tube generally means less rolling resistance and greater speed.

There is a wide variety of tire widths and types of tread. There is no magic combination that will work for everyone. You will eventually figure out what works for you.

I commute by bike for one main reason - I like to ride. If you like to ride you will have no trouble getting into the habit of riding your bike to work.

Other posotives:

• Save money on gas


• Get a bit of a workout


• Breathe some fresh air! (location dependent I guess)


• Impress your co-workers