To bike or not to bike? That is the question...

So, in the whole wave of panic in that gas is nearly $4/gallon, I have been contemplating getting a bicycle and trying to use that as transportation.

Problem #1:
I don't have a bike.

Solution for #1:
Well, I looked on freecycle and craigslist and no go. So then I went on wal-mart, and boy are there a lot of bikes! And they aren't too expensive either!

Some of my favorites:

Schwinn Meridian Adult Tricycle
Gets excellent reviews, I could use it to go grocery shopping and one review says you can easily add a child seat. Bad? No gears. =( Another bad? I don't think a 3wheeler would go easily on a trunk rack if I wanted to transport it.


A two-wheeled option. Very retro, yet has gears. Also very affordable.

Problem #2:
I have BabyK.

Solution for #2:
Saturday I was at a garage sale and got a kid carrier for $1!!!! Retails for about $50. It looks like this one:


Problem #3:
I HAVE to drive about 20 miles/day. That's a lot on a bike, especially with some of the hills and traffic.

Solution to #3:


How cool is this bike? When you get tired you can just turn on the electric motor. But is it worth the price?? There are cheaper bikes (not tricycles) that are also electric but the reviews aren't as good.

Lots of pondering to do, but perhaps a portion of my rebate check will go towards something that I can save money with. But, will I actually use it after I get it? That is what makes me really wish I could find a bike on freecycle so I can test out my idea before investing a ton of money. Because in addition to the cost of the bike, you have to get helmets for both me and BabyK.

Ah, decisions decisions. Any suggestions or thoughts?