Originally Posted by
Strawbunyan
i am halfway between Memphis and Nashville and as far south as you can get before you are in Alabama. My closest bike shop is a 90 minute drive.
If there's one thing the guys on BF like more than bickering, it's bike shopping for other people. Give them your county and your leg length, and they'll find something cool for you; the money you save can go to the other stuff you'll need, like mirror, fenders, helmet, lights, rack, panniers, etc.
I also suggest an upright bike for commuting; it's good to be able to see what's going on around you. And definitely get a comfortable bike, because pretty soon your 5 mile commute could start to get longer as you get fitter and more comfortable with riding. My commute was 8 miles each way, and when I arrived at work I had to resist the urge to just keep going.
Since you'll likely be doing a lot of your own maintenance and repairs, I suggest RJ the Bike Guy's and Park Tools' YouTube channels.
Here's my commuting (and everything else) bike:
Getting ready to start the Critical Mass ride.