I remember when I first started riding again in 2003 after a 20+ year hiatus I really didn't know what kind of Bike I wanted, I didn't know where I would be riding it but I just knew I wanted to start riding a Bike again.
Luckily, and completely by accident I think I made the right choice, I bought a $250 "Hybrid".
So what's a Hybrid, does it run on Gas and Electricity? No, it's a cross between a Road and Mountain Bike. They're normally pretty heavy, fairly comfy and easy to ride. You can ride them on the Street, on a Bike Path, along the Boardwalk and even take them offroad on beginners' Trails.
The best thing about a Hybrid is that you can start riding, it's a good first step. Eventually, if you stick with it you'll also discover where you want to ride, maybe you'll develop a proclivity towards offroad riding but find you can't climb Hills on it as good as People on a Mountain Bike (MTB), you can follow them on rougher, more technical Trails, you need a Montain Bike!
Or maybe you enjoy riding on a paved MUP (Multi Use Path) and on the street but find that Riders are zooming past you with seemingly little effort, so instead of your upright Body acting as Sail, you need something a lot more aerodynamic and something which is built for speed, so you need a Road Bike!
Or you could realize you don't like Cycling at all...
In that case, you can simply hang it in the Garage and forget about it, you haven't wasted that much money.
If you decide you love riding...
Then welcome to the dark side. Now you need a Mountain or Road Bike and can spend many thousands of Dollars in the years to come. The price Tags on each can vary from hundreds to thousands of Dollars and it can be pretty daunting. There are many Bike Manufacturers all claiming their Bikes are the best but it all comes down to which one takes you fancy. I still wouldn't recommend spending a fortune on your first Road Bike, they will all feel really wierd at first when you make the transition, nothing will feel right. So, the best thing to do is spent maybe $7-800 on one, ride it a lot to get the feel of the riding position, I would recommend 1500-2000 miles which sounds a lot but really isn't, then if you decide you want to trade up then you will be knowledgable enough to know what feels good and what doesn't. Bikes depreciate at an alarming rate so a mistake can be very costly.
The most important factor is fit if the Bike doesn't fit you'll be very uncomfortable, you will waste a lot of power and just be miserable. The best way is to go to a reputable Bike Shop, my favorite in Irvine is Irvine Bicycles (Used to be Sand Canyon Cyclery), get measured for the right size and get a custom fitting once the Bike is assembled, it will make a world of difference and help prevent any repetitive motion injuries.
At the end of the Day, whatever type of riding you do, have fun and always wear a Helmet!!
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