Hello Everyone. I am 27, and rather overweight. Last month, I went on a trip overseas for a month, and did not have a car, so I had to walk everywhere. I lost a huge amount of weight even though my diet wasn't particularly improved, whereas whenever I have tried to reduce my food intake, it never really works. Now that I am back in the States, I have been continuing to walk, but I want to get a bicycle so I can go further without an automobile. I know this is going to sound a bit ridiculous to a lot of people, but my two main considerations in purchasing a bike are aesthetics, and then comfort. I am a photographer, and very visually oriented. If I don't purchase a bike I like to look at, tinker with, etc, I won't ride it as much. By the same logic, if the bike isn't comfortable to ride, I won't ride it as much. I have been doing extensive research over the last couple of weeks in to what I want and don't want in a bike, from these and other points of view. At this point, I am considering three options, from most expensive to (probably) cheapest:

An Electra Amsterdam Balloon bike. Of my three choices, this would be the bike that is most likely to be most comfortable, due to the fat frank tires. I am having trouble finding one either here in KY, or in NC, where I will be traveling this week to visit family, however. Aesthetically, it is a good looking bike, although certainly not perfect. It is basically one of my choices because it is the bike that looks the most like the Pashley Guvnor with a sub 1000 dollar price tag, and I really like the look of and the concept behind the fat smooth tires in general. It is, however, more than twice as expensive as the next option:

A double bar Flying Pigeon. A lot of people say that this bike is overpriced, and I would tend to agree. It is, however, incredibly good looking and a load cheaper than any other dutch/raleigh style bike on the market. It is also the Volkswagen Beetle of bicycles, and as a former VW owner, I can appreciate that. Once I equipped it with panniers and a brooks saddle, and eventually upgrade the brakes (for wide tires? perhaps), it wouldn't be much cheaper than the electra. Fortunately, this is a very easy bike for me to get a hold of.

The third option is to bring my ridden hard and put up wet at thirteen or fourteen years old 21 speed raleigh mountain bike back to life. The last time I rode it, i was going through a LOT of mud, and I rolled the rear tire off the bead and simultaneously lost the chain because my air pressure was a bit too low. About two or three years ago, I pulled it out and pressure washed the dirt off of it, but I didn't go any farther with it. It is in a rather ghastly red early nineties mountain bike paint scheme. I would want to basically take it completely apart, remove all of the paint, grind off a lot of unneccessary attatchments and whatnot on the frame to smooth it out, repaint it in a solid color, remove the derailleurs, put a one speed chain on it, put some upside down north road handlebars on it, and run fat tires on it. I can do this for about 150 bucks if I use cheap parts.

Any thoughts or recommendations? Any tips for a heavier guy (5'9", down to 267 lbs, short stubby legs) who is looking to start riding for the first time in nearly fifteen years? Thanks everyone. I have been lurking around a bit, and I can tell that this forum is full of very knowledgeable and nice folks.