The Bike: What’s the best bike to get for cycling? I suggest that you start with an older used bike from a local bike shop or a fellow cyclist in your area.

The really nice bikes are optimal, of course, but they are also well over $1,000 (some are well over twice that), and they aren’t necessary to get into the sport and enjoy it. Once you get into it, and are sure you’ll be doing it for the long term, look into a better bike. The nice road bikes are lighter, with strong frames, thin tires (for less friction), with a whole host of other nice features to make riding fast and easy. What’s most important is that the bike fits you. The bike should fit your height (from ground to crotch), as well as the distance from the seat to the handle. I’m not an expert at this so it’s best to go to a good bike shop to get fitted.

Equipment

Cycling, more than many other sports, is equipment-centric. You don’t need a host of fancy gear to get started but, there is a minimum amount of gear needed for your health and welfare:

Helmet - Don’t ever ride without one whether it is local law or not. Wearing a helmet can save your life, or at least make the difference between a bad headache and a severe head injury. Make sure the helmet fits well.

Water bottle - Get one with a cage that attaches to your bike. Regular bottles don’t fit in this cage, btw. An alternative is a hydration backpack. You really only need hydration tools once you start cycling beyond an hour, but it’s good to have one just in case. Even if you don't require the water for consumption, you may get a bad scrape on your knee and the water will come in handy for washing off the road wear.

Pump - A portable pump that you attach to the bike is necessary in case you get a flat or a slow leak. You don’t want to be walking your bike back home. A floor pump is good to have at home, too, for easier pumping, but isn’t absolutely necessary.

Repair kit - A simple repair kit would include a patch kit, a spare inner tube, 2 tire levers, a multi-tool for bikes, all in a small bag that attaches to the bike.

Gloves - I have a pair of these, and you could consider them essential. They absorb shock from the handles (cycling gloves are padded), but more importantly, if you crash, your palms are protected.

Glasses - To some, these are a must. They block bugs and other debris from hitting you in the eyes.

Shoes/pedals - The most efficient way of peddling is if you are using your up-stroke as well, not just your down-stroke (pulling the pedals up and pushing them down). To do this, of course, you either need cage pedals to put your shoes in, or the kind of pedals that lock into your cycling shoes. You’d also need special shoes for that, of course.

Lights - These are a must if you ride after dark or if you unintentionally get delayed and are out after dark.

Racks - Important if you want to transport anything on your bike. There are lots of racks and cycling bags that work well for touring or commuting.

Additionally, once you decide to make a commitment to cycling as a hobby, there are other items you will want to get. First on this list should be:

Bike computer - This attaches to the bike (no, they don’t have it in Linux or Mac flavors) and tells you how far you’ve gone, how fast you’re going, your RPMs, and all other kinds of good info. Very useful, but not absolutely necessary.

Safety

Always be safe on the road. Do not be daring, do not insist on the right of way, do not break traffic laws (yes, cyclists must follow the traffic laws too), and always be as visible as possible. If you know the most common causes of accidents, you can be alert to them: Opening car doors (it sounds like a clip from that funniest home videos TV show, but it's true), sideswiped by a car (usually from riding too close to the center line) and intersections (yield to the crazy auto drivers and wear bright clothes for greater visibility).