I've lurked here for awhile, but I'm finally getting the nerve to post. I'm a middle aged woman who isn't particularly fit, and I've been considering starting biking for some time, but have never taken the first steps.

I know the local bike shop is the best place to go for info and to actually try different bikes, but I'm intimidated because the last bike I rode was a long time ago and was a simple three speed with basic pedals. So all the talk about clips, hybrid vs road bikes, etc. can be intimidating. I'd have no idea what to do with all the different gears!

Is there any book that you can recommend that covers the basics in terms that a not very technical person can understand? There are a variety of Cycling for Dummies type books and I was just wondering if anyone had found one useful? With a little background, I'd feel more comfortable going into a bike shop and having some idea of what I wanted.