Hello! I will try to go as much into depth of my situation, since I am very new to cycling, and personally do not have any friends who even like to walk. (Am I the only one who cringes when people complain about having to take a short walk from a corner of the parking lot to the store, or when people drive .25 miles to pick something up? )
I'm 21, 5'8, and a bit overweight at 220 pounds. I'm a bit out of shape, because I've grown accustomed to parking my butt in front of the computer 24/7, both at work and at home. I'm moving within 2 weeks to the next state, and my new job is 10 miles away from where I live. At this moment, I am tired of gas prices, inching along in traffic, etc. I am tempted to, rather than paying $1000 to repair my car for its new home in Arizona, to use that $1000 to invest in commuting to work on a road bicycle. My main concerns are theft (which many topics have covered and I'm not quite so worried now), and the fact that I have grown very out of shape. (I used to be really into sports/jogging, but in the past few years as a student, I slipped.)
I consider the health benefits and financial benefits substantial, BUT at the same time, 10 miles can be a bit long for someone of my size. :/
I also have no idea where to begin looking for a bike for someone of my size, though I will be dropping by a bike shop soon. I want to know what kind of things to ask them. I would only need to be carrying work clothes, water, bike repair supplies, etc.
I would really love some advice. I've been considering for a long time, but I know such a long commute in an unfamiliar area is kind of crazy. :/ Trying to weigh my options as much as I can.
I'm 21, 5'8, and a bit overweight at 220 pounds. I'm a bit out of shape, because I've grown accustomed to parking my butt in front of the computer 24/7, both at work and at home. I'm moving within 2 weeks to the next state, and my new job is 10 miles away from where I live. At this moment, I am tired of gas prices, inching along in traffic, etc. I am tempted to, rather than paying $1000 to repair my car for its new home in Arizona, to use that $1000 to invest in commuting to work on a road bicycle. My main concerns are theft (which many topics have covered and I'm not quite so worried now), and the fact that I have grown very out of shape. (I used to be really into sports/jogging, but in the past few years as a student, I slipped.)
I consider the health benefits and financial benefits substantial, BUT at the same time, 10 miles can be a bit long for someone of my size. :/
I also have no idea where to begin looking for a bike for someone of my size, though I will be dropping by a bike shop soon. I want to know what kind of things to ask them. I would only need to be carrying work clothes, water, bike repair supplies, etc.
I would really love some advice. I've been considering for a long time, but I know such a long commute in an unfamiliar area is kind of crazy. :/ Trying to weigh my options as much as I can.