My test rides. I went to REI and told the guy, "I want a weenie bike," and he looked startled and I said, "You know, not a bend-over-the-front-fast bike or a crash-down-the-trails bike -- just a nice little bike for riding around nice and easy."

Well, he was very helpful, showed me a few, picked out two or three and took me to the back parking lot to test them.

Mind you, I was not dressed to ride a bike. I had on a macabi skirt:

http://www.macabiskirt.com/

which I hitched up between my legs, clipped, and didn't bother trying to roll up to look halfway decent. I just took off.

Well, the bike was in too low a gear and it was scary -- my feet were spinning but I didn't feel like I had control of the bike. I went very slowly around the parking lot saying, "This is fuuuuun!" Then he adjusted the gears and suddenly it felt like it was supposed to, then it was REALLY fun.

I don't think I would have survived being turned loose on a bike trail, though! There would have been a trail of tumbling walkers, runners, and cyclists in my wake.