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[Sir Finkus]

To save some money on gas and maintenance, I'm contemplating riding a bike to work.  Most of the route seems to be pretty bike friendly with wide shoulders and bike lanes.  I clocked the distance, and it looks like it's 6 miles one way, which seems doable.  Problem is, I don't have a bike, and I haven't really ridden one since I was a kid.  I've never ridden in traffic before either.  I'd like to see how feasible this is before jumping in, so I thought I'd come here for advice.  Here are my questions and some things to consider:

Questions:
What kind of bike should I be looking for and how much will I be spending?  What other equipment will I need (helmet is obvious)?
How long would 6 miles take to bike? 
How difficult would a 6 mile bike ride be physically?
Legally, what do I need to know? 

Considerations:
I live in the state of Washington.
Most of the route is pretty flat and through town with about a 3rd in more rural areas.
I'm not in very good shape, but I'm not overweight or anything.  There are a number of bike trails near my home that I could use for training if I need to.
Some of the roads around here are filled with potholes.  The city is showing no signs of giving a shit.
Occasionally, I may have to carry small amounts of mail and other work stuff to the bank and post office, a backpack would probably work for this.
Bike pants aren't happening.

Thanks for the read, and I look forward to getting some good advice.

:edit: in case it isn't clear, I'm talking about the pedal powered variety, not the vroom vrooms.

[Karlito]

I bought a fairly decent bike at a pawn shop for around $90. You will probably want to spend a little more on a bike than that, or at least be willing to spend a little more on the almost certainly required maintenance, but a pawn shop will probably be your cheapest option.

You'll probably want a reflector and a light (at minimum) if it'll be dark any time you're riding. Getting run over is no fun. A bell is useful for alerting unaware pedestrians, but yelling at them also suffices.

I ride my bike to school every day; it's about three miles and it can take me anywhere from 15-25 minutes to get there, depending on conditions (headwinds suck!), so if you scale that up linearly, I'd guess that it could take anywhere from 30 to 50 minutes. You should probably time yourself on the route you plan to take.

The ride itself shouldn't be too difficult, especially if you aren't carrying much with you. Do expect to get sweaty though.

Basically if you're riding in the street, follow all the rules a car would follow. You might want to learn the hand signals for turning, but I don't know how many drivers will recognize those. Just stick to the shoulder and don't be an asshole and everything should be fine.

I know places in Washington that have like, actual dedicated bike paths that go places, though I don't know if there are any around you. It would be good to look into that.

[David Holmes]

What kind of bike should I be looking for and how much will I be spending?  What other equipment will I need (helmet is obvious)?

A hybrid/utility bike.  You probably don't want a mountain bike because they're not the most efficient for getting from place to place.  You probably don't want a road bike unless you're seriously interested in getting into biking longer distances.  Spending depends on your lifestyle, but I'd say more than $50 but less than $200 (way less if theft is a possibility in your area) if it's new.  No reason not to consider getting a used bike, though.  You'll need lamps if you'll ride at night, probably a pump, and probably a lock.

How long would 6 miles take to bike?

Since you're "not in very good shape", probably 30+ minutes at first until you get into better shape. Stoplights and intersections can also make it a lot longer.

How difficult would a 6 mile bike ride be physically?

Since you're "not in very good shape", you'll be getting a workout.  It's pretty easy by the standards of serious bike commuters, though.

Legally, what do I need to know?

Don't ride on the sidewalk unless it's marked for bikes (the extent to which people cheat this varies a lot - sometimes you have to ride on a sidewalk a bit for practical reasons).
When riding on the road, obey the laws of the road as if you were a motor vehicle (for practical reasons sometimes you need to stretch this).
Don't listen to headphones while biking.
I'm sure there's a lot more that I don't know about laws regarding biking - that's just off the top of my head.

Other comments:

Consider borrowing a bike from a friend first.
One thing you don't mention is sweat.  On a hot day, you can expect to show up a bit smelly at the end of the ride. Depending on your work environment, this may or may not be a serious problem.  Fortunately six miles is short enough it might not be a problem.  If you wear a backpack on a bike on a hot day, expect to have your entire back completely drenched in sweat.

[Sir Finkus]

What kind of bike should I be looking for and how much will I be spending?  What other equipment will I need (helmet is obvious)?

A hybrid/utility bike.  You probably don't want a mountain bike because they're not the most efficient for getting from place to place.  You probably don't want a road bike unless you're seriously interested in getting into biking longer distances.  Spending depends on your lifestyle, but I'd say more than $50 but less than $200 (way less if theft is a possibility in your area) if it's new.  No reason not to consider getting a used bike, though.  You'll need lamps if you'll ride at night, probably a pump, and probably a lock.

How long would 6 miles take to bike?

Since you're "not in very good shape", probably 30+ minutes at first until you get into better shape. Stoplights and intersections can also make it a lot longer.

How difficult would a 6 mile bike ride be physically?

Since you're "not in very good shape", you'll be getting a workout.  It's pretty easy by the standards of serious bike commuters, though.

Legally, what do I need to know?

Don't ride on the sidewalk unless it's marked for bikes (the extent to which people cheat this varies a lot - sometimes you have to ride on a sidewalk a bit for practical reasons).
When riding on the road, obey the laws of the road as if you were a motor vehicle (for practical reasons sometimes you need to stretch this).
Don't listen to headphones while biking.
I'm sure there's a lot more that I don't know about laws regarding biking - that's just off the top of my head.

Other comments:

Consider borrowing a bike from a friend first.
One thing you don't mention is sweat.  On a hot day, you can expect to show up a bit smelly at the end of the ride. Depending on your work environment, this may or may not be a serious problem.  Fortunately six miles is short enough it might not be a problem.  If you wear a backpack on a bike on a hot day, expect to have your entire back completely drenched in sweat.

Good to know, I don't really need to interact with customers or anyone else, but I'd still like to not be too sweaty.  Is there anything I could do about that, or am I just going to have to deal with it? Theft shouldn't be an issue since I have a garage to store the bike in at both ends.

[Karlito]

You can carry an extra shirt with you and change when you get to work.

Also, I forgot to say good for you! Bikes are awesome.

[David Holmes]

Well, the most effective option is the one you already ruled out: bike clothing is designed to wick sweat and keep you dry.  It's not really suitable for that short a distance anyways, though - too expensive and too much work.

But yeah, just changing clothes can help.  When it's biking season for me, I alternate between driving and biking, and I keep a change of clothes at work and exchange it on days that I drive.

[Sir Finkus]

Well, the most effective option is the one you already ruled out: bike clothing is designed to wick sweat and keep you dry.  It's not really suitable for that short a distance anyways, though - too expensive and too much work.

But yeah, just changing clothes can help.  When it's biking season for me, I alternate between driving and biking, and I keep a change of clothes at work and exchange it on days that I drive.

I think I'll just bring a change of clothes, my friends would mock me endlessly if I ever wore bike pants. It might actually end up working out better because my car doesn't have air conditioning which means I can get pretty sweaty anyway.

As far as actual equipment goes, any specific brands or features I should be looking for?  I looked up hybrid bikes and it looks like one of those would probably be ideal for my situation.

[Max White]

What kind of bike should I be looking for and how much will I be spending?
Depends on the terrain, and how much you want to spend. You can get some very cheep bikes, but they are some what heavy and tend to clash gears like a orc mechanic. Some good brands are trek and giant. If your going by road, get a road bike, it will make your life a little easier. Or you could try for a very cheep bike second hand from a garage sale. As a general rule, anything over 20 years old will most likely work forever, and sell for peanuts. I have an really old tour bike that kicks ass! Also, try to get a bike suited to your gender, as their are male and female bikes, as well as unisex ones, but one for your own gender is best.

What other equipment will I need (helmet is obvious)?
Bottle of water, a way to carry bags, maybe a tire repair kit.

How long would 6 miles take to bike? 
The general rule is figure out how long it takes for you to walk it, and divide by ten. Best way to take terrain and weather and such into account.

How difficult would a 6 mile bike ride be physically?
Easy, I have been doing it for years.

Legally, what do I need to know?
Bikes are road vehicles, so you are expected to ride on the road, not footpath, and stop at traffic lights. Although nobody enforces this, or aides by it, at least not here in Australia.

[Sir Finkus]

How's something like this?

Ideally I'd like something a bit cheaper, but I'd like to know if I'm on the right track here.

:Edit: that exact bike is on sale for $360 at a local bike shop, that's a lot closer to what I was looking for price wise.

[Eagleon]

If you're not comfortable riding on major streets (honestly, those people boggle my mind, but maybe that's because no one gives a shit here about bikers), and you have the choice of residential roads, that's your best bet, especially since you're not going to be going as fast as an experienced biker when you first start. Honestly, six miles on "pretty flat" for an inexperienced, not-in-great-shape biker might be a lot more difficult than you expect. Make the trip once on a day you have off - you'll thank yourself later if it's not something you can handle gracefully quite yet, though it is a bit of a pain to have to bike back right away, so make your destination a coffee-shop nearby or similar if possible.

For the fact that you mention potholes, I'd say one of the spindly bastards you see long-distance bikers use is a poor choice. A sturdier bike will allow you more versatility in case you can't avoid one. It's going to cost you some stamina, but in my mind it's worth it - learn to do bunnyhops, they're more than just for show. Trust me, living in Milwaukee where half-foot deep potholes are commonplace after winter, it's saved me from a crash more than once. So yeah, a hybrid like what you linked, but aluminum is seriously your friend here, so you're probably looking at used if you want cheaper.

[Sir Finkus]

If you're not comfortable riding on major streets (honestly, those people boggle my mind, but maybe that's because no one gives a shit here about bikers), and you have the choice of residential roads, that's your best bet, especially since you're not going to be going as fast as an experienced biker when you first start. Honestly, six miles on "pretty flat" for an inexperienced, not-in-great-shape biker might be a lot more difficult than you expect. Make the trip once on a day you have off - you'll thank yourself later if it's not something you can handle gracefully quite yet, though it is a bit of a pain to have to bike back right away, so make your destination a coffee-shop nearby or similar if possible.

For the fact that you mention potholes, I'd say one of the spindly bastards you see long-distance bikers use is a poor choice. A sturdier bike will allow you more versatility in case you can't avoid one. It's going to cost you some stamina, but in my mind it's worth it - learn to do bunnyhops, they're more than just for show. Trust me, living in Milwaukee where half-foot deep potholes are commonplace, it's saved me from a crash more than once. So yeah, a hybrid like what you linked, but aluminum is seriously your friend here, so you're probably looking at used if you want cheaper.

I was planning on doing a few test rides if I end up getting the bike to kind of work my way into it.  I've got a great system of bike paths near me to train if endurance is going to be an issue.

[Max White]

How's something like this?

Ideally I'd like something a bit cheaper, but I'd like to know if I'm on the right track here.

:Edit: that exact bike is on sale for $360 at a local bike shop, that's a lot closer to what I was looking for price wise.

Buying online isn't the best choice as you have to pay for shipping, and those things ain't cheep to send around the place. Go check out your local bike shop, tell the guy what you are after, and he will be able to help you find a good bike in a very comfortable price range.

Just don't even bother with dunlop. They are cheap, but for those things you get less then what you paid for.

[Sir Finkus]

How's something like this?

Ideally I'd like something a bit cheaper, but I'd like to know if I'm on the right track here.

:Edit: that exact bike is on sale for $360 at a local bike shop, that's a lot closer to what I was looking for price wise.

Buying online isn't the best choice as you have to pay for shipping, and those things ain't cheep to send around the place. Go check out your local bike shop, tell the guy what you are after, and he will be able to help you find a good bike in a very comfortable price range.

Just don't even bother with dunlop. They are cheap, but for those things you get less then what you paid for.

It isn't online, that's just a site for a local bike shop.

[Carrion]

For sure go to the bike shop and try out the bikes there.  They'll help you immensely and will also be able to size your bike properly so you are using it most efficiently.

[Sir Finkus]

For sure go to the bike shop and try out the bikes there.  They'll help you immensely and will also be able to size your bike properly so you are using it most efficiently.

It's not the size of the bike, it's how you use it.

Jokes aside, I'll have to go down there and take a look, not 100% sure if I want to pull the trigger though.