Originally Posted by Giant Doofus

I think this is really good advice. Before I started commuting I had done a lot of online reading about it and just about had myself convinced that I couldn't even start until I invested in new bike. But I worried, "what if I don't even like doing this?" So, I finally went with the cheapest bike I could find -- the one already in my garage! It's an aluminum hybrid that has taken me on many, many pleasant recreational rides. I put a milk crate on back and headed out. It was great!

After a week or so, I added fenders. Then I went back for a better rack. Next I found some panniers that work well for me. Finally, I added a headlight and taillight. All of these things can be moved to a new bike if I decide that's what I want to do. In the meantime, I'm learning a lot about what I do and don't want. For instance, rim brakes are making me nervous when it drizzles. I love my lights, but it sure would be nice to have a dyno system. My ride doesn't have many hills, but there is a red light at the bottom over every single one of them, so an IGH would be nice. You get the picture. It's hard to know what you want or need until you get out there and start doing it.