Introductions - Bike Suggestions?

Hi,
I'm new here and am looking for suggestions on bikes to look into.. or what type of bike would suit my needs.

When I was younger I rode a bit of BMX. I had a fairly nice bike that I spent all my money on (fit series 1).. but I sold it last year when I purchased my car. Now, I'm looking for a bike to bike to work with, or to my friends house, or just to ride around for a bit of excercise.. something a bit more comfortable than my smaller 20" bike.

I like the simplicity about fixed gear and single speed bikes, but to be honest, half the reason I like it is because it seems like the big trend around here.. (Bay Area)

A multigeared bike would seem more practical.. but, I'm used to the single speed on my BMX.. and, I don't live in a very hilly area at all, just once in a while, I have to go across a bridge or something.

What do you guys think?

Hello 1150A, there's certainly nothing wrong with SS/FG, and if you are in San Jose, you can race at the velodrome, too!

There's a thriving group of BF members who ride together in the Bay Area, and they go up and down some big hills. If you even contemplate that you might eventually enjoy longer rides, you might want to go with a geared bike. Do you like classic steel bikes, or are you more inclined to modern machines?

If you like classic steel, check out the Classic & Vintage forum, especially the eBay and CL finds thread stickied near the top of the page. There are quite a few members in the Bay Area who flip bikes, and might be able to get you exactly the bike you want, and can afford.

Welcome to BF!

East Hill

http://www.quickservekids.com/var/www/vhosts/quickservekids.com/httpdocs/pink_star.jpg

Hey East Hill,
Thanks for the warm welcome.

I guess I'd be into classic steel bikes, but honestly, I'm not sure what the huge difference is.. I just know I'm into having more classic collectible things.

SG/FG seems like the hugest trend around the Bay Area... I almost don't want to get into it because it's everywhere. But at the same time, from what I've read, I like the simplicity of it, the smoothness of it, and (if it really is this way) how quiet it is.

From my little experiance with mountain bikes, they're noisy, and all that gear switching can get a little crazy. But then again, it has been a couple years since I've ridden one, AND, I might have just been doing it wrong.

Single gear I guess is something I'm really used to. When I was younger, I always used to take my BMX up to mountain bike trails with my friends, riding around all day.. It was nice knowing I didn't need gears to get up these huge hills. The SG/FG is naturally appealing to me, but a multi geared bike might make things a lot easier for me.

Have you considered something with internal gears on the rear? Like an Electra Cruiser?

http://www.electrabike.com/cruiser/

The Sparker looks a bit like a big BMX bike and has internal gears.