Originally Posted by
badassmekanik
I plan on just riding in the neighborhood to shed a couple pounds.
Here's a cautionary tale:
I know a cyclist who bought a bike because he thought he was going to ride short distances once a week. He'd never learned to ride as a child, so he taught himself. Ten months later he rode a century (100 mile ride.) A year later I, err, I mean he, was riding multi-day tours of 300 to 400 miles. Be careful, it can happen to you.