I got into cycling almost exactly 4 months ago. So, I'm a major newbie.

I've had psoriatic arthrits (similar to rheumatoid) for about 10 years now, and I let my activity level go way down from being a high school and college athlete to doing nothing. Between 2004 and 2008, I was massively flared up and could hardly get around. I needed a cane pretty frequently to be able to walk more than a very short distance. I started doing water aerobics in 2007, and my instructor persuaded my to try her spin class. By September 2008, I didn't need my cane any more and my range of motion in my worst joints was significantly better. I was able to decrease my prednisone (HUGE win), and I felt the best I had in years.
I really liked spin and what was going on with my body and got my hubby into the class and he loved it as well. We decided if we liked spin that much, how much better would it be outside on a real bike? So, in March we both got Specialized TriCross bikes so we could ride on the road and on trails near our house. On June 6, I did a 75 mile charity ride and averaged 17 mph over the ride time. I'm riding between 60 and 90 miles a week now and itching to get a real road bike. I'm officially hooked.