I am new to all sport/cycling life!

[beccaB]

If I may-I'd like to recommend the Trek 7.3 fx. It's lighter than a comfort bike, but really durable. We have HORRIBLE roads where I live, but the bike just takes it and takes it. Me however....

[martaw]

Catriona - that's so much info, wow! Thank you!

Inseam hmmm is it the lenght of pants you wear I tend to wear short I have short legs and big 41-42 feet!

So Zens bike be OK for me,no? and than after a while I can get a road bike...

[Zen]

I have ridden that bike on the road and while it is nowhere near as fast as a skinny tire road bike it is a nice ride.
If you are anywhere near me we can meet sometime and you can ride it.
Don't make any hasty decisions buying a bike.

[martaw]

I have ridden that bike on the road and while it is nowhere near as fast as a skinny tire road bike it is a nice ride.
If you are anywhere near me we can meet sometime and you can ride it.
Don't make any hasty decisions buying a bike.

Zen - I think your bike will be ideal as for my back to get used to riding and my hight, and I am glad its not easy to ride, I need to get fit!

I'm in MD by the Harbor, but I can get to you, no problem, getting out the house its a pleasure I've been a SAHM for the past 3 years! Can you tell me how old the bike is?

[tulip]

Welcome, Marta! I no longer live in the area, but I used to. Are you by National Harbor? I think it's so cool that they opened the bike path on the Wilson Bridge. If I still lived there, I would use it to bike to work!

Just FYI, I am 5'-6" and I ride a 49cm bike. I have longish legs and a shorter torso.

Best of luck in getting a bike and starting to cycle!

[martaw]

Welcome, Marta! I no longer live in the area, but I used to. Are you by National Harbor? I think it's so cool that they opened the bike path on the Wilson Bridge. If I still lived there, I would use it to bike to work!

Just FYI, I am 5'-6" and I ride a 49cm bike. I have longish legs and a shorter torso.

Best of luck in getting a bike and starting to cycle!

Thanks Tulip, bike path on the Wilson W Bridge its awesome I actually walked from Oxon Hill Rd to S Washington, I thought I was gonna die!!!! It was about 15 miles. I guess it takes like 12 - 8 min for some on the bike! I really hope I find some people to ride with, I'm glad I be able to get to Mt Vernon trail!

Where did you move to?

[Kalidurga]

Hi Marta! I'm another DC-area person, but I'm on the other side of DC from you over in Montgomery County.

Make sure you check out the Mid-Atlantic forum here at TE. As Catriona mentioned, many of us ride together frequently and that's where we do our planning. It would be great to have you join us.

[tulip]

Thanks Tulip, bike path on the Wilson W Bridge its awesome I actually walked from Oxon Hill Rd to S Washington, I thought I was gonna die!!!! It was about 15 miles. I guess it takes like 12 - 8 min for some on the bike! I really hope I find some people to ride with, I'm glad I be able to get to Mt Vernon trail!

Where did you move to?

I moved about 100 miles south, to Richmond. I lived in Prince Georges County and I worked in Alexandria, so the bridge crossing would have been wonderful for me, but as usual, my timing was off!

[Selkie]

Marta

I live in Arlington like NYBiker, but in the North part (closer to DC than to PG county). Welcome to the forum!

I'm 5'5" too and can ride bikes ranging from 47 - 50 cm. It all depends on the bike. As others have recommended, make sure you feel comfortable on the bike before you buy it. You might to try several before deciding to buy one.

Don't forget to get a helmet!!!

[Cataboo]

Martaw,

This link tells you how to measure your inseam for cycling up top.
http://cherry.dcwi.com/cherry/info/fitting.html

Zen's bike's a good bike at a great price to get you started off and would be a handy bike to keep around afterwards. The C&O canal towpath is a good place to ride around here, and it's not paved - so having something like Zen's bike would be handy for that.

But I'm not trying to push you towards it - something in that bike style for now, I think would be good. And then if you feel like you need something else later, you could get another bike and could either keep the first bike or sell it on craigslist - and if you're getting Zen's bike, you could probably sell it for about what you paid after using it a year or two - because used bikes sell well on the DC's craigslist. Too many people looking for bikes.

Definitely test ride some bikes - you'd probably fit on my bikes to try them if you just want to ride a few different styles - but I'm a bit far out from dc, so a bike shop would be easier.