newbie question

How far you can ride in a day pretty much depends on the terrain and your pace. Start out on shorter routes and build up your mileage at a speed you feel comfortable with. I wouldn't recomend a backpack for any kind of long ride. A rack over the rear wheel will keep your center of gravity lower, and your back won't get as hot. What to bring depends on where you're riding. At a minimum, you should have a pump, spare tubes, patches, tire levers, and a set of allen wrenches. If you're going to be some place remote, add in a spare tire with a folding bead and some duct tape.

artmichalek said:

How far you can ride in a day pretty much depends on the terrain and your pace. Start out on shorter routes and build up your mileage at a speed you feel comfortable with. I wouldn't recomend a backpack for any kind of long ride. A rack over the rear wheel will keep your center of gravity lower, and your back won't get as hot. What to bring depends on where you're riding. At a minimum, you should have a pump, spare tubes, patches, tire levers, and a set of allen wrenches. If you're going to be some place remote, add in a spare tire with a folding bead and some duct tape.

This is my first post, so I guess this is a good place to start. I wondered the same thing. I bought a Trek 7500 FX on Monday and took my first ride today. I went 16.5 miles on a bike path in Orlando. I averaged 13 mph. I have a reconstructed knee and cannot run. I liked my ride today and look forward to tomorrow.