Melinda,

I'm glad that you're taking the initiative and trying to get your weight down to a healthly level. I must say though, that you are wrong about local bike shops. Yes, there are some sales people that are new and are still learning, but there are also some that have been in the business for a long time and would be more than capable of helping you find the right bike for you. I worked at a bike shop for more than three years, and I NEVER sold a bike for the money. If you didn't want to buy a bike from me, so what. I'd still spend an hour helping you out. If you wanted to but a $2000 bike, GREAT! If you were more comfortable buying a $300, even better! It means I helped one more person back onto a bike.

Just because you had a bad experience buying a seat doesn't mean they're all bad. And, personally, I think you did yourself a disservice by going out and buying a $150 Roadmaster. The quality is very low, and you should see the people they have 'assembling' them. For $150 - $200 more, you could have had a much better bike that will be easier to ride and will last longer.