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Gregg's is okay, but I haven't been impressed with their floor staff. Their repair guys seem good.

I'd recommend Kirkland Bicycle because they have very knowledgeable people who simply love bicycles. After a crash, I bought a steel commuter frame and had them rebuild my destroyed bike onto the frame, as much as possible. They did an amazing job and basically fawned over it, down to matching the color of the metal caps on the shift cable ends to the frame. They also have a sophisticated fitting machine and an expert trained in using it and doing fittings, which you should get for free if you buy a new one from them (or other stores, definitely demand that if you buy a new bike elsewhere!). They don't have a huge stock of bikes though.

/u/Clairety88 has great bicycle suggestions for a new, female rider. Both of those I've recommended in the past to someone who has hand/wrist issues. Although, if you really need a 54cm they might not be appropriate as they are sized towards women and 54cm is maybe on the larger end for women (are you tall for your sex?). Those Specialized are nice too. You should try some different models to see what works with your body. Most shops will usually let you take one out for 15 mins or so (plan your route in advance so you can mix in some hills/flats)...try some different models and then maybe see if you can rent a demo bike of your favorite model for half a day to really get familiar with it. Most shops will apply your rental dollars to a new bike if you buy it from them.

Depending on how your hand issues affect you, there are some options that would increase the cost but may help significantly minimize discomfort. Disc brakes will probably require less effort to apply and be easier to use than caliper brakes. An electronic shifter could be a gamechanger - it will remove the need to push a lever/brake handle (sometimes with a fair amount of resistance and travel distance), replacing it with a simple button press. Any decent shop will help you with this, but minimizing hand/wrist issues also requires you have a properly-fitted saddle and position. You shouldn't be leaning against your handlebars while riding because it will really stress your hands/wrists. The right saddle and position will allow you to keep most of your weight over your hips and mostly use your arms to control the bike. The natural position should be slightly bent elbows.

You definitely want clipless pedals (a bit of a misnomer - you actually "clip" into them). I'm mostly familiar with Shimano pedals, but there's two main styles that I think are similar in other brands, albeit with different names: SPD and SPD-SL. SPD are used for mountain biking and often commuter biking. They are very easy to unclip from (you simply twist your heel toward or away from the bike, it becomes natural), and it clips into either side of the pedal, so you just stomp your foot onto them when coming out of a stop without needing to think about it.

SPD-SL are specifically for road biking and offer a broader, more stable platform. They operate like a downhill ski boot, so you insert a lip on the shoe cleat into the pedal, then press the heel of the cleat into the spring mechanism (it's not the length of a ski boot, only a few inches). You can only clip into one side of the pedal, so it is trickier getting moving from a dead stop. My experience is that they are much harder to unclip from as well. However, if you are going long distances without putting a foot down, they might be preferable since it is a better platform for your foot.

SPD or SPD-SL pedals require a pair of cleats that bolt onto any modern cycling shoe. Depending on the shoe, SPD cleats will probably fit recessed into the sole, which makes walking around in them MUCH better. SPD-SL cleats will require you to basically walk around on awkward tiptoes because they will extend beyond the sole. If you're planning on riding to the grocery store it will be a huge chore to walk through it on SPD-SL, but SPD will be almost normal. However, SPD-SL cleats let you fine-tune the positioning of the cleat when you bolt it onto your shoe, so you can position it forward/back on the sole, or change how much it points in/out from the bike (called float - good if you're pigeon-toed or something like that). SPD don't really have that customization, but they have more play so it isn't a big deal to me.

I can't speak to women's shoes, but I've ridden thousands of road miles on both road and mountain biking-specific shoes. Since I mostly ride instead of driving, I've ended up using mountain bike shoes full-time so I can walk around normally and easily transition through stop-and-go traffic. The majority of shoes (especially road bike shoes) will be mostly secured by a couple of velcro straps, so I'm sure you can find something that is very quick and easy to take off.

A parting thought would be to get familiar with basic maintenance and roadside repair. Practically, that really just means knowing how to change a tube if you get a flat (and carrying necessary equipment to do so) and cleaning/lubing your drivetrain regularly. Knowledge of the former will get you out of 95% of the trouble you'll ever run into on the road, and regular practice of the latter will significantly extend the life of your bike's components and make it way more fun to ride. Knowing how to adjust your shifters is also extremely useful and makes for a far better riding experience. You could become proficient at all of those by reading about 3 pages of a cycling book, so it's definitely worth it. I like the Park Tools website, they show how to use a chain-cleaner (not really necessary, you can just use rags) and to replace a tube. Places like REI also offer women's-only repair/maintenance classes if you're more comfortable with that. Seriously, very basic knowledge from a 2 hour class can make a huge difference.

Anyway, that's a massive wall of text, but I do like talking bikes. Let me know if you have other questions.

So - some of these are out of print but you should be able to find all of them on-line:


75 Classic Rides Washington Mike McQuaide


Biking Puget Sound: 50 Rides from Olympia to the San Juans Bill Thorness


Bicycling the Backroads of Northwest Washington Bill Woods, Erin Woods


Bicycling the Backroads Around Puget Sound Erin & Bill Woods


Bicycling the backroads of southwest Washington (OOP) Erin Woods


Bicycling The Pacific Coast Vicky Spring, Tom Kirkendall


Bakeries by bicycle: A guide to Puget Sound's Best Bakeries (OOP) Fred Wert


Biking the Great Northwest: 20 Tours in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana (OOP) Jean Henderson


Cycling Sojourner: A Guide to the Best Multi-Day Tours in Washington Ellee Thalheimer

Best Bike Rides Seattle: Great Recreational Rides in the Metro Area Gene Bisbee

Welcome!

Here is my winter system: two jackets, one slightly larger than the other, and a thin hardshell raincoat. The jackets are super cheap, they don't need to be thick if you layer them. The raincoat is a nice Columbia one. There are raincoats made for biking that have longer backs, but I found the prices were higher and the quality lower.

Additionally, I have a pair of thin gloves, and a pair of thick gloves. The thin ones are glove liner types which are made for biking, but really don't have to be. The thick ones are these and I highly recommend them. It is possible to layer my gloves but the thick ones are good enough that you won't really have to.

During most winter days, I bring the whole package. From 50-60 or so, I have on one jacket and the thin gloves (gloves are super important when cycling as you have to keep your hands exposed the whole time), then below that two jackets and the thick gloves. If it is very cold, the raincoat can help with the wind, but overall it reduces breathability and will make you sweat.

If it is raining, I have the raincoat on top.

For pants, there are rain pants out there. Personally, I just put my wallet in my raincoat and deal with it, so I'm not much help.

You don't need mountain bike tires, they'll just slow you down. Unless you are planning to ride offroad. Read this. Get two bike fenders, one for each wheel as well.

I use the serfas tl-60 (shield):
http://www.amazon.com/Serfas-Superbright-Usb-Taillight-Red/dp/B005M2EDG8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1406390587&sr=8-4&keywords=serfas+rear+light

But fair warning, this light is insanely bright. Great for commuting! HORRIBLE for group rides. It does have an integrated seatpost mount with good angle adjustment though, so if you off-angle it enough it might be OK for that purpose.

(I notice the site nrhinkle lists shows the above light being the brightest tested light under $60. That does not surprise me at all :) )

Clear glasses help. I have one that I can swap clears or shades. Super useful if you're biking at speed and/or at <32F weather.

I have a few pairs of these:

https://www.amazon.com/ESS-Eyewear-Cross-Crossbow-740-0504/dp/B004RWK1UQ

They look sharp, block wind decently well, and double as Z87.1/MIL-PRF-31013 eye protection too. Best anti-fog I've ever seen for the price without needing to get into Revision/Oakley/Wiley stuff (they fog up a bit under heavy use, but you can still kind of see through them somehow. Some sort of black magic going on there). I've worn down one lens over 2 years of riding, but replacements aren't too bad (~$25)

You'll be wanting good lights, buy clothes that are conspicuous, not pavement colored, with reflective elements or wear a high viz vest over everything.

You don't necessarily need bike specific clothing. Unless it's really cold and wet I usually wear these gloves.

I always wear clear safety glasses to keep rain out of my eyes.

Learning how to interpret weather radar can usually help you avoid the worst of the rain and if you've some flexibility in your schedule you can frequently stay dry.

These are the gloves I bought for this season and I've ridden in them in the 20s multiple times for about 30 minutes at at a time and have also done a 35 mile ride in them at little below freezing and they've done the job really well. They run a little small and the supposed touchscreen friendly finger tip doesn't work for shit, but I didn't buy them for that feature, so whatever.

https://amazon.com/dp/B008TNGIXS

It’s not downtown, but The Bikery (http://www.thebikery.org) has community service / tool area.

As for washing might look into a cheap portable water solution and find a decent place outside your apt to soap and wash down.

Solar Shower Bag Camp Shower with Removable Hose and On-Off Switchable Shower Head for Camping Beach Swimming Outdoor Traveling (Army Green) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VB6SMCR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_wUwEDbQ07R59N

Got a pair of Michelin Mud 2 Cross (700x30c) used from Recycled Cycles Friday morning!

perhaps these in 37s

Also just found this one which should carry a G26 or G27

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MMQXHA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1