Must haves?

[nscrbug]

NY Biker covered just about everything that you'll ever need. But I'll add one more item that I didn't see on her list...cycling socks. My feet are very picky about the socks I wear...especially on long rides. I'm partial to wool socks, as they regulate different temperatures very well. So you may want to experiment a bit with a few different types (and thicknesses) of socks out there to see what your feet feel most comfortable wearing.

Linda

[ny biker]

Oops, I thought she already had socks.

I always match my socks to my jersey.

Wool definitely keeps me feet warmer in chilly temps. I haven't tried wool socks in warm weather (yet).

BTW if you don't already have water bottles or some other way of carrying beverages, you will need one. I carry two water bottles on my bike, which is generally more than enough to get me from one rest stop to the next. For any ride >= 2 hours, I have 1 bottle with gatorade and one with water. I like the Camelback insulated bottles; Polar insulated bottles are good too but the ones I have are too tall for my new bike frame.

You can never have enough bottles.

[jennyrc]

Thank you everyone for the recommendations.
I actually do own a few pairs of PI socks, but haven't experimented yet to figure out what I like best (yes, I typically just wear these socks as every day sort of socks because I think they are cute). I haven't tried wool yet but will definitely need to try some out. I also have a camelback water bottle/pack that I have used before, and I like it.
I think the hardest part will be figuring out the shorts and tights...so we'll see what I can find out there.
Thanks again!

[Desert Tortoise]

Wet Ones individual wipes. They come in single packets and are great for getting grease or any other crud off your hands. Hand sanitizer is good too but after a few hours on the bike, stuff builds up. Not to get too gross.

[kermit]

Looks like everyone has covered all the important stuff, as far as cheap online buying, I like Price point, Nashbar and occasionally Performance bike. Good luck with the ride.

[surgtech1956]

I too like Price Point, Bike Nashbar, and Performance Bike, also REI. I bought some Shebeest Knickers off Ebay, new with tags, at a fraction of the price. So watch Ebay too. This is an EXCELLENT website.

[jennyrc]

I found a couple pairs of shorts on bike nashbar that I ordered (along with a jersey just for fun). Love the great prices!
I also went to a LBS and bought my first pair of biking tights...looking forward to a ride on Sunday (assuming the snow has melted by then!)
Thanks again everyone!