I don't remember how I first became carfree, because it was so long ago, it was in the early 1970s, and as they say, if you remember the early 70s, you weren't really there.

But I do remember when I became a carfree cyclist, as that was only about 5 years ago. I had a very crappy bike, but that's OK, to start out with a POS bike. I just started by taking very short trips, mostly on residential streets and the bike trail in my city. My first rides were just for fun and exercise.

I remember the first time I went to the farmer's market, about 2 miles away, and bought a couple things and carried them home in plastic bags. I felt so happy and proud, realizing that a bike is really a form of transportation. I bought a backpack the next day and life became much easier.

I think I practiced my first commute for a month, even though it was only 7 miles round trip. I was so nervous the first time I rode home from work. I worked evenings, so this was also the first time I rode in the dark, and I didn't even know about lights at that time. But I survived, and that winter, just a couple months later, I learned by trial and error how to ride in the cold and snow.

My advice if you're new to riding, based on my own experience:

• Any bike is fine when you're first starting. After a while, you'll figure out what kind of bike(s) are really right for you.
• Don't sweat the gear and equipment at first either. You'll figure it out gradually, but pretty quickly. The important thing is to just start riding on/with whatever you have.
• Make your first rides fun. Don't worry about trying to accomplish a lot. Just explore your neighborhood and start to get a feel for bikes and riding. It is supposed to be fun, dammit!
• Make early rides short. The muscles you use for riding are different and you need to build up to it gradually.
• However, do challenge yourself. Try new things and greater speeds and distances. Just don't try to do everything all at once.