Originally Posted by
mstraus
For lights, decide if you plan to ride at night at all. Some lights are to be seen and some are to see in the dark. Get a good tail light - there are many great options that are under $30.
If you have to carry a lot of weight you might think about a rack and panniers instead of a backpack, but that is also somewhat a personal preference.
I will be locking it outside at work (daytime) but inside at night. You mention great light options for less than $30 -- can you give me particular examples or suggestions?
In response to some other comments, I toyed with the idea of getting a used/craigslist bike, but can't seem to find anything suitable for my height and preferences. The closest I found was around $300, but for me it seems like $250 more is worth it for a brand new bike with the support of a shop down the street - am I mistaken in thinking this? Also the shop has interest free 10 month financing, so I factor in the interest accrued on savings over that time period.