Thinking of maybe buying a bike, maybe.

[DeniseNJ]

I'm looking online but they don't look very comfy for your butt or riding all leant over that way.  Don't they have banana seats anymore and handle bars that let you sit regular instead of leaning on your arms?  And I know it's supposed to be safe but what if you fall?  There seem to be all these different kinds too.  I haven't been on a bike in 30 yrs (when did I get so old).

ETA--do you need hand brakes or are peddle braked ok and does it matter if it says it's a men's bike?  Wow they get expensive.

[4alpacas]

I have a cruiser that I ride around for short trips.

My cruiser is much slower than my other bikes, but it's comfortable and I can ride in anything. 

The wide tires, huge seat, and upright riding position might fit what you're looking for.

[DeniseNJ]

oooh it's so cute.  Love the basket.  I wouldn't be going fast or far.

[4alpacas]

oooh it's so cute.  Love the basket.  I wouldn't be going fast or far.

I bought a used 7-speed cruiser for $150 a few years ago. It's a nice bike to ride around town and do shorter errands with. 

[diapasoun]

There are definitely plenty of bikes out there that are designed to be more upright, ride-about-town bikes -- you might look up "cruiser," "Dutch bike", "step through bike", "city bike" or "mixte" for some bikes that are more likely to be better candidates for what you're looking at. There's some variety in there in terms of weight and exactly how upright the bikes are.

Pedal brakes are also called "internal hub" brakes. They work on the back wheel and work well at lower speeds, but should be paired with a set of hand brakes for the front wheel. Ideally, you should be learning to use both sets of brakes, so that if you ever need to stop reeeeeal sudden you'll be practiced at it. ;)

It doesn't matter if it says it's a men's bike. Men's bikes are shaped a little bit differently from women's bikes (women's bikes are set to accommodate a shorter torso and longer legs than men's bikes), but fundamentally you just need to find a bike that's comfortable for you.

[DeniseNJ]

Now that I'm looking at bikes, do I need 24 inch wheels or 26?  Is it ok to order from amazon?  Is it ok to put together myself assuming it comes with instructions?  Do I need snow tires? (I didn't even know bikes had snow tires)

I woke up to a dead battery and had to take a bus to a doc appt and was really wishing I had a bike.  Would've been a ten minute ride rather than waiting that long in the snow for a bus.

[GuitarStv]

Now that I'm looking at bikes, do I need 24 inch wheels or 26?  Is it ok to order from amazon?  Is it ok to put together myself assuming it comes with instructions?  Do I need snow tires? (I didn't even know bikes had snow tires)

24 inch wheels are typically found on children's bikes.  26 inch wheels are standard mountain bike sized, and road bikes typically use 27 inch wheels (more commonly called 700C).

If you're not somewhat familiar with having a bike, I'd recommend that you purchase one fully assembled.  It's not that putting a bike together is difficult, but there is a little bit of a learning curve.

How much snow are you expecting to ride your bike through?  If it's just an inch or two of slush and snow on the ground there's no need for special tires at all.  I ride year round on our roads here in Toronto on regular bike tires with a slight tread on them.  If you want to go chugging through several feet of snow you would probably do better with very fat and knobby mountain bike (maybe cross?) tires or even getting a fat bike.  If you expect to be riding your bike all the time on ice, then you can get studded tires that will give you grip on ice - at the cost of poor performance any time you're not riding on ice.

[DeniseNJ]

Ok, last question. Do I really need to where a helmut?  I ordered a cruiser, 7 speed hand breaks super cute. But those helmets look idiotic. I mean, I'm just going around town, not on busy roads. Does anybody not wear helmets?

[diapasoun]

I always wear mine. I've seen people split their helmets in two; I'd rather split my helmet than my skull.

[kenaces]

I have very good bike handling skills and I still ALWAYS wear my helmet, and I suggest you do the same.

[GuitarStv]

You're free to make your own choice regarding a helmet.  Personally, I always wear a helmet on my bike.

[Just Joe]

Wear your helmet. There are thousands to choose from. All it takes is one weird crash and you're in trouble.

[DeniseNJ]

Got a helmet and lights. Then tried it out in my driveway with my husband running along side me. Eventually I got the hang of it. It was fun.