Honestly I only violate the headphones rule.

And yes when like me you spend about 14k in the past 12 months cycling, yeah it makes you a elitist.  

Decent set of rules for beginners....but so much derp.

Esample. Rule #40. Labels go opposite the valve stem to offset the weight of the valve stem. Labels also face the chainring side for pics.

Some pretty good advice.  I would add that for a first bike, maybe get something used off Craigslist.  Tons of decent used road bikes.  Hard core cyclists always have to have the latest and greatest go through new bikes pretty fast.  But the whole reason behind this is you will figure out so many things that you really want in a bike with your first bike that it's not worth it to spend too much out the door.

Plan on mishaps.  Carry a spare tube and pump, tools and a chain tool.  I had several close calls with cars until I put flashing lights front and rear and use them all the time.  Cars definitely see me now.

Get good shorts/bibs and gloves.  Pretty necessary after your rides exceed 10 miles.

Also - regarding a type of bike

I personally like wider tires (hence I ride a mountain bike) - it's the same reason I drive a truck... if I need to go offroad I can with no problem


lots of the trails around me are dirt - packed dirt but still easier on a mountain bike... it's a bit harder to pedal on the pavement but I chalk that up to a better workout....


My wife has skinny tires - we're looking to swap out with some fatter road tires that will do OK on light offroad stuff as well....


ymmv - skinny tires are easier to ride on pavement.... also less forgiving on potholes

But the heaviest spot on the wheel is 180d opposite the valve stem where the rim is joined with a tongue and welded. (Not that the label adds weight anyway)

As others have said, spend the coin for a good bike. Someone at a reputable bike shop can help you out - no reason not to buy a good used bike, a lot of shops will have some in stock, and you can save some money. I've put well over a thousand miles on my 1970's-era Panasonic road bike. Bought it originally for $250.

If you wind up having fun, you should come do TOSRV the following May. Back to back centuries over the course of a weekend

I won't rehash everything others have said. But for me here is my advice.
Get a decent bike. Proper fit is VERY important. Have a knowledgeable person/shop do it.
Quality cycling clothing is important, no cutoff jeans don't work.
Proper Nutrition and hydration before and during the race.
You will need long rides before the 100, maybe not a full 100 but you need to know you can do 2/3 of that with little hardship.
Spin. Spin. Spin. Cadence over speed.

Find a safe area like a big parking lot to practice things like unclipping and using your water bottles.

And HAVE THEM FIT YOU FOR A SADDLE.  The saddle that comes on the bike will NOT fit you correctly.

Learn to hydrate.  Learn proper pedaling form.  Get some good spandex, so you don't chafe.

You can get bikes at Wally World for the price of a box of 22LR on armslist.

get one with a motor

I ride both on the street and trails.  Out here (San Diego), there is a huge biking scene and it's easy to pickup gear on craigslist.  Don't skimp out, you get what you pay for and it's easy to get discouraged.  It doesn't get easier, you only get faster.

From this Sunday, wife and I rode about 12 miles.

This, make sure you get a computer so you know distance and speed(the bonk is a bitch).

A lot of great advice here! I have not seen too much advise on a stationary. Get a good stationary, since you live in a place where weather can call off a ride. Change your schedule and do morning conditioning rides. I found the stationary rides have improved both my endurance and comfort on longer rides. About once every other month I ride from Manhattan Beach pier to Channel Island Harbor. It's a 67 mile ride. From there I stay at a friends house and ride home the next day.

Plus loose fitting clothes will catch the wind adding more work to your ride. Anything to cut wind resistance=free speed.

 

the Seagull Century can be one of the fastest centuries, depending on the winds and weather...

I miss riding in philly.

Plateau and the Wiss - fantastic.



 

This mornings ride into work.  Lucky to have a dedicated path just about from my front door to the beach...about 12 miles.

Thanks guys great stuff here so far. 2 questions  we were thinking about buying a trainer so we could ride the road bikes like stationaries in the house any thoughts?Also any bikes we should look for new or used in the $350-$500 range? Thats about the budget per bike without any other gear. We don't want to get too invested in it to start.

I personally find trainers tough to ride.  They're not as fun as the real thing and 30 minute on one feels like 2 hours on the road.  Rollers although trickier to ride are more realistic, more fun, and can be cheaper.  That's all just personal preference however.  In either case put a fan in front of you while you ride and it'll feel quite a bit better right off the bat.

As for your price range...I really hate bearing bad news, but $350ish is more of what you should expect to spend after buying the bike rather than on the purchase price of the bike.  Very loosely speaking a helmet will be $80-100, shoes $100, shorts $60-80, jersey $50-70, gloves $30, tool kit (pump, levers, tube, allen wrenches, bag) $50, bottles & cages $25.  Do you need a bike rack, lock, lights, cold weather gear, floor pump, etc.?  You might also need to factor in extra for getting fitted, a saddle, stem, pedals, etc.  $500 will get you a decent new hybrid, but that's not going to work well for you on a ride of that distance.  Nor would a similarly priced mountain bike with slick tires.  Good quality road bikes generally start around $1,200 and of course go north from there.  Still, you might get lucky with a used deal.

You might check around and see if any shops do rentals so you could feel out the sport and see how serious you want to get before dropping some dough.  Scour the internet for good deals on something used.  Check cycling message boards, and visit your local shops (ideally not on a busy Saturday afternoon) and ask if they've got a lead on anything that would fit your needs.  Also check with any friends who are into cycling.  One of them is bound to have an extra bike somewhere that you could at least borrow for a few rides to check out.

Good luck & post pics when you complete your ride!!!

Find some local cycling clubs
Find some local used bike shops - the ones around me usually have some good buys on very decent bikes & can properly fit you.

$350-$500 is going to be tough for something you're going to spend so much time on/with.

I recently switched to a Selle Anatomica Titanico saddle and my ass is much happier.  On sale it was $100 - this is not an inexpensive sport .

The baseless roadie folklore in my area was that labels were on the left hand side. Because in road racing most turns are right hand, and the label decreases traction when leaned way over. I suspect the label-on-the-right "rule" was because  that's the side the bike was usually photographed from, to show the crankset and derailleurs, and the tire companies like that idea of showing their labels.

These days my Michelins have big honkin' labels on both sides.

It makes a little sense to put the labels at the valve stems because it makes it easer to find tube damage if you know where the tire casing damage is.

Yeah. Strava.com is a lot of fun, too, and lets you see your progress as you ride more.

going to have my SO send you some suggestions for you SO.

I have completed the Honolulu century 2 times and I think this is the most solid advice in here on all points... If I was prioritizing money it would be bike, shoes, gloves, shorts, helmet.   After buying a couple really expensive helmets I agree they are nice but not a top priority to me, always wear one but I wouldn't break the bank there.  Also find a couple metric centuries as you train up, they are great for practice riding in groups and learning to cope with the hazards of riding with a bunch of people at once.

-Mike