I never thought how difficult it is going bike shopping. I'm not an advance cyclist. In addition to my daily workouts,just looking for one that I can do some laps around the neighborhood. What models/brands do you recommend for an affordable price? What size wheels are best for lite pedaling and longer distance? [700's?]

700 wheels are a good choice. A good place to pick up a bike is your local bike COOP.
Something like Bikes not Bombs in Boston or Time's Up and Recycle a Bicycle in NY.
They save bikes from landfills and you save money. They are nonprofit and the money
they make goes back to cycling advocacy.

Before going any farther, try reading https://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-sizing.html and https://bicycling.about.com/od/howtor...right_bike.htm
You'll be glad you did. Nothing like an ill fitting bike to turn you off of cycling. And consider buying used for your first ride. Good luck.

For a beginner like you, doing laps around the neighborhood, a good starting bike would be a hybrid or an old hardtail mountain bike (without suspension). I'll second 1nterceptor's advice to find a bicycle co-op, if there's one in your area, or a bike shop that deals in used bikes. It's best to buy a bike from a shop that has experience dealing with beginners and doesn't talk down to you if you don't know all the jargon. If you post your location, forum members in that area might have specific advice for shops to go to.

Wheel size doesn't matter so much; either 26" or 700C wheels are OK. It's more important to have good tires; for a beginner I recommend relatively wide tires (26x1.75 or 26x2.0, or 700Cx35) with light (or no) tread. Inflate them to a moderate level (45-60 psi) for a comfortable ride.

If you get into cycling on a serious level, you're going to want another bike--regardless of what bike you start with--so what's most important is that you get a bike with decent components that has been assembled by someone who knows what they're doing. Avoid department store bikes, which usually have inferior components and are almost always assembled by people who are in a hurry. A new hybrid from Giant, Trek, or Schwinn starts at around $350 (plus accessories). If your budget is below that, you're best off looking for a used bike.

Doesn't matter what bike you get initially as you may bet into riding- --- or you may not.

No-one knows the answer to that predicament and you are talking to those of us that do ride.

Stay away from Wally Mart type bikes- Cheap full suspension bikes will not give a good ride and that is if they don't break on you very quickly. Look secondhand and make certain it fits. You won't even know that initially so bear it in mind that there is only one reason for the first bike



To tell you what the 2nd bike is going to be.