I really admire how you are hanging in there. I recently wrote an article for my newspaper blog about what it was like when I started biking for transportation. Writing that article took me back, remembering how I didn't know the most basic things like don't bike on the sidewalk and get lights. All that stuff about seat height (and power pedal position) and braking technique came way later. I guess I probably felt insecure and dumb when I was learning, but that's not how I remember it. I remember it as a really exciting time where there was something new to learn every bike ride, and I'm excited for people who are having those experiences now.

I had a moderately decent bike when I started, it was a bike-shop-quality hybrid (Specialized Crossroads), but it needed some maintenance and was too small for me. The great thing about riding it for 2 years before buying a new bike is that I knew exactly what I wanted by then. I didn't have a clue about what I needed in a bike when I started riding. It must be tough to ride that walmart bike right now but you are sure getting an education that'll pay off when you are ready to buy your next bike.

WAY TO GO!