Quote Originally Posted by Bad JuJu
Whatever you do, don't make the mistake of going out and grabbing a Wal-Mart special just because they're cheaper. The bike will almost surely not fit you well, won't shift or brake properly--at least not for long, and you'll be so unhappy and uncomfortable with the the bike that you might think you just don't like cycling, when it's really the bike that's at fault, not the sport.
I did this. Went out and bought a sub-$100 bike at Wal-Mart in April. Figured I wouldn't be wasting much money if I didn't enjoy riding. I've put almost 100 miles on it, and man, it's beat up now. The shifting SUCKS (it especially loves to jump gears when I'm going up a hill), I've already had to replace the brakes once, the crankshaft wobbles when I pedal... the list goes on and on. I've decided I'll have to deal with it for the rest of this season, and when I get my tax return in Feb/March, I'm going to the city to find a bike shop and get a real bike. The closest bike shop here is probably almost an hour away, but it'll be worth it.

Don't waste your money on the discount store bikes. Get a real bike from a real bike shop. Even a cheapie from the bike shop would be better than the one I got at Wal-Mart. Ugh. I feel so dumb for wasting my money.