Hi there guys,
Its the winter time and i want to keep in good shape so i was thinking of commuting to work and school on a bike now. I haven't ridden one since i was 16, iam 21 now. I'm into a lot of motorcycles and do a lot of track days and plan on racing next year. So i though it would be a good idea to get my legs in better shape as well.



My commute is going to be 4-5 miles. 3 miles will be up/down a hill, not very steep but it may snow for a few days in December. I live in Portland, Oregon so it also rains a lot. I wanted to know what kinda of bike is best suited for my commuting. I really don't have much idea about the bike, but i don't want to spend a lot of money on it. Something basic is just fine. I'm 5'8 and weight about 165lbs.

So i had a list of questions, and i would really appreciate it if you guys could answer it.

1. What kind of a bike should i be looking for and the cost of it ? geared/non geared/flat bars/etc...

2. What kind of tires do u guys recommend ?

3. Is buying used a bad idea ?

4. What kind of gear should i be looking out for ? Its cold and rainy, very rainy....


Thanks in advance.