If your bike is hurting you, take it to a local bike shop and make sure it fits you well, the seat is appropriate for your size, gender, and style of riding, and that the bike is at least in good repair. If this is a no-name, X-mart bike, you may get ribbed a bit about the bike not being worth much--but till you're ready to make riding a serious part of your workout and/or lifestyle, just take it. Just be aware that cheap, department-store bikes can break down a lot more than quality bikes, and sometimes are hard to fix, because they use poor-quality, out-of-spec components. You won't care if you only ride 3-4 times per month; you'll care heaps if you ride three or four times a week and keep coming up with flats or other problems.
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