Top products from r/bikehouston

What's your budget?

Hybrids are going to be WAY cheaper than a nice roadie, but will be limiting if you ever decide you want to get into actual road riding. You can get a decent hybrid for $500 new, but low-end road bikes start at twice that.

That said, the roadie is going to be WAY lighter and WAY quicker. You'll feel the difference immediately. OTOH, though, lots of folks start with a hybrid and then add a road bike when/if they get more serious. This can work out well, because nobody wants to put a rack on their road bike, or lock it up outside a coffeeshop -- but hybrids are MEANT for that kind of thing.

Oh, and suspension on a hybrid is gonna be crap. Avoid it. You don't need it, and it's just something else to go wrong.

Don't worry about clipping in yet. That'll come, but probably only if you get more serious. Another poster mentioned the dual-sided pedals made by Shimano; I have those on one of my bikes. The model is M-324, and they accept the SPD cleat system. SPD is is great for casual riding because, generally speaking, it's a mountain bike system and the shoes that accept those cleats tend to be super walk-friendly. The cleat itself is typically recessed into the shoe, so it doesn't even hit the ground when you walk. (See this article for a bit more; there's a picture of the underside of a MTB shoe for reference. By contrast, see this article that covers other systems, including Shimano's road system which is confusingly named SPD-SL).

Road shoes, by contrast, are VERY stiff and hard to walk in, and the cleats typically stick out from the bottom of the shoe enough to make it even harder. I have a road system on my road bikes, and the M-324s on my more casual bike.

Thank you! Yup this is Brays Bayou, around Almeda and McGregor area.

Pedals: MKS BM-7 Aluminum Alloy Anodized Pedals
Bottle cages: J&D Lightweight Durable Aluminum Cycling Water Bottle Cage, Bicycle Water Bottle Holder - Gold


Plugs: Wake Bar End Plugs Handlebar End Caps Bike Handlebar Plugs for Most Bicycle, Mountain Bike, Road Bike, MTB, BMX (2 Counts, Rubber Sponge Aluminum, Gold)

Find some padded bike underpants - they'll keep your junk under control and protect the rest. Source: 2 years bike commuting 15+ miles a day average

Ohuhu Unisex (Men/Women) Sweat Absorbent Volatility Quick Dry Gel 3D Padded Bicycle Cycling Underwear Shorts Pant, Black(XL) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O0F3BMU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_QOizyb8Z5MMD9

Just pick up a Zinn book and then start wrenching, covers everything you could possibly want to know. If you want mountain bike specific try this one, https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597