Allison: Best thing would be to ride with an experienced rider like Jon who can make observe and make recommendations on how you can make your bike more comfortable for you. I personally can’t handle bikes that are upright, they put too much strain on my back and behind and don’t allow you to stretch your lungs out. I find that being at roughly 45 degrees with handlebars that allow me to change it up works best for me.

It’s always chilling to read about bike vs. car accidents, but to put it in perspective in the past month many more pedestrians and motorists were killed than cyclists. When booze is involved no one on the streets is safe. That drunk driver on Glendale could very well have hit a motorist or pedestrian had he driven further. It’s best not to plan around the worst possible outcome, we don’t do it for walking or driving.

And yes, come out to Midnight Ridazz or to one of our weekly night rides, it’s a great way to get started.

Most bike shops don’t work like car dealers, though. You can’t really “trade” an old bike in. Unless you have something special, I think most bike shops wouldn’t be interested in buying used bikes. You’d have to sell it on something like craigslist.

As for confidence, it just helps to get out there more. Do more leisurely rides on the weekends, or do some of the group social rides like Midnight Ridazz.