I agree. That was my point to Medusa...go to an independently owned shop.

Have a great one! I have to get ready for work!

Have a great day yourself Dapper.

Here's what I mean by a fixie
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed-gear_bicycle

It was my thought too that for general fitness and tooling around town that gears and proper brakes would be more useful for Medusa.

Yes. A fixie would not be a good place for her to start. Really, whatever makes her happy to get out there is her best choice. While I was playing around with the pink bike, if that bike makes her happy and makes her want to ride, she should get one. I'm pretty sure it has coaster brakes.

I started on a hybrid and moved up to a road bike. I'm still a Clydesdale, just a faster one that I used to be. And stronger. I originally bought my bike to tool down to the gym and back in the morning. I never rode that bike to the gym once. I rode it through the hills on longer rides than most people take hybrids and realized I'd been bitten by the bug. I sold it and got my road bike. Currently I'm riding a Specialized Roubaix Comp that I got on craigslist. Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise I'll get my S-Works Roubaix next year. It's been a goal for two years now. Unrealized, but a goal.
http://www.specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/...RSYSprem_d.jpg

Because this boy loves toys.

The women I was out riding with last night had hybrids, it's where a lot of folks start I believe...several of them were larger ladies too. There was only 3 of us with road bikes. The other two had lovely racing bikes - although our leader, Carly, was on her daughters racer as she'd had a tumble and her bike was in the bike hospital.

Just a wee bimble around ebay.com has thrown up quite a number of women's hybrids, like this one...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Schwinn-700C-Mid...item5198091470
I'm not a fan of suspension forks on cheapy bike though.

That looks like a great little starter bike.

Today I did a personal best on the bike at the gym,they have them set up like racing bikes with a screan infrount to simulate road rideing or raceing.I did 61/2 miles in something like 25.03 minits I know it may be slow but for me it was really good,I did slow down for a breather but nevr quit till I got to the end.

oops
 

I checked my time and distance card I am keeping to check my progress,I should have said my time was 19.03 ..teaches me to check befpre I wright something.I dont know if its good or bad but it shure was fun.

Had a nice chat with a super-informed dude at our local semi-famous bike shop "Chainwheel". He made a lot of good recommendations and talked in depth about what would fit me best for something super durable, exercise-friendly, etc.

Im going with a hybrid and need to save up. The bike I have my eye on is more expensive than I expected but I think it will be worth it! EXCITED!

HA! Remembering when I transitioned from my Kmart bicycle (but by my own admission $65 well spent dollars while in college) to my cutom built for me rock hopper. That was the turning point for me to become a serious cyclist. That was also the bicycle that I removed the seat from every time I chained it up.:seeingstars: I still can not recall why I did that. Soon, hills that I often had to get off and push a portion of the way up, I was peddaling to the top. It was money well spent. Like a chevette to a corvette.

I started with a hybrid, a Specialized Sirruis. I paid around $500 out the door during my local bike shops annual sale. It seemed like a lot at the time but not so much any more.

My first bike was a Cannondale from my local shop, too. Mountain bike, rigid. This was right before front shocks became standard on mountain bikes (and obviously before full suspension).

I too paid $500!

argh!!! As I was gearing up around a corner, at high speed, middle of busy intersection, right turn (same as left turn in other countries who drive on the regular side of the road...) I geared ip too quickly on my POS bike and it gear changed right off the end of my gears and into the crux of my wheel hub, seizing the wheel. I managed to actually stay on the bike, not get hit and get over to side of road, very quickly. I tried to get the chain out but it was rammed right in there. after getting more and more frustrated, more and more late for work, close to missing my last bus (there's only 3 buses in the morning to the outskirts of the neighbouring village to oxford, where the business park is), yanking away, swearing under my breath and getting really irritated with various people passing my by on the side walk watching me, hands and wrists now covered in chain grease... when it occurs to me to undo the quick-release wheel. duh. oh.

fixed chain. had nothing to wipe hands with (stupid. I should always carry something as there's always a chance of the chain coming off, it's the most common thing that happens on a bike). covered self, face, handlebars in chain grease cycling to bus station. Then had to show up at work covered in chain grease. executive office. nice.

Brillant info about the chain and the quick release....I had to go look at my *cargo* bike to see if I had a quick release on the back wheel. (it does, I never noticed that before)
I just may have up my skill level to two things in the way of bicycle repair. I know how to put the chain back on, and now (hope it never happens) I feel certain I could un jamm the chain from in between the sprockets.

I carry a smam-wow in my top case, but from the sounds of it, you needed go jo. How did you get the grease out from underneath your nails? sorry to hear your ride was not so wonderful.

My first bike
 

For some reason I can't remember my first bike, but I remember the bike I got somewhere between the ages of 6-8. I don't know where my parents got it from, but I remember it was a used bike and that my Dad painted it aqua. I thought it was so cool to be able to paint your bike.

The bike that was oh so important to me I received around age 10 or so. It was a Schwinn 10 speed. I loved that thing. I got it for Christmas and I remember there was snow on the ground that year. I remember riding it in the backyard that morning over the light snow. I suppose my parents figured if I fell due to snow, it was better to happen on the grass, than the hard road.

I was actually over my mother's last weekend and took a look at that bike hanging next to all the other old family bikes from the ceiling in the garage. I saw my parents bikes hanging up there too and I was reminded as to how they would take me and my sister on those bikes when we were small. My mother's bike had a built on rack on the back and my older sister would sit on that and make sure her feet didn't touch the back wheel. I sat on the top tube of my Dad's bike, side saddle like. Sounds kind of crazy when thinking about it, now.

Good topic, Incubus. Thanks for triggering my memories.

I'm hoping to be able to buy a bicycle for myself at the end of the summer; I tried out few different models and brands last year - from cruisers to hybrids. I have miles of bike path behind my house, but its not flat. I want a bike for recreation, fitness and an occasional commute to work. I've decided to go with a hybrid as well. This is the one I chose after lots of research:

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes..._2_fx_wsd_2011

It is a bit pricier than the shiny pretty cruisers I looked at, but I know on this one I'm going to feel best on, for the longest stretch of time.