Good bike shops also sometimes have nice bikes that people have traded in when they upgrade. The staff goes over them to make sure everything works properly, and sell them for a very reduced price. So you might not get the exact color you want - you could always have it painted at an auto body shop (or bust out the spray paint) if it meant that much to you. Also, you can call the local police department and ask if they have a bike auction. Many jurisdictions auction off stolen bikes that were never reclaimed by their owners, with the money going to a police charity (like college scholarships for children of officers killed or disabled in the line of duty). A triathlete I know got a $1k+ racing bike for under $100 at a police auction... he was about the only one who knew what it was and snatched it up. All it needed was new tires from sitting in storage for months. I miss riding a bike, but my balance is shot. There are stabilizer wheels for adult bikes but I think they'd just look too goofy. My PT says adult trikes tend to be tippy.

I agree that something with a more upright seating position (as opposed to laid back or hunched forward) is more comfortable. But in my (almost 30) years of riding, I've found that the things that make the most difference are having a good windshield or fairing and the shape of the seat. A small windshield will take the wind off your stomach and chest which significantly reduces fatigue and allows you better control of the bike. If you get a full-size windshield or a fairing, you can get the wind off your arms and face, as well. I prefer a frame-mounted fairing (like a Honda GoldWing or a Harley TourGlide over a fork-mounted fairing like most aftermarket windshields or like an ElectraGlide. Having to steer the extra size (into the wind) and weight of a fork-mounted fairing reduces the benefit of it blocking the wind. I do find that the windshiled on a Harley RoadKing is a good compromise. I rented a Yamaha TourStar in Australia a couple years ago. It was a very nice bike except after an hour on the road, my butt was in tears. The seat simply was not the same shape I was. Also, sufficient power is a must on the highway. It's tiring to be riding a bike at or near it's capabilities for more than a few minutes. And you need a good margin of power to out-accelerate a soccer mom in an SUV yakking on her cell phone... up a hill. If you are looking at new bikes, a full-size touring bike will start well over $15,000 and to up and up and UP from there. Before you shell out big buckazoids, here's a thought: rent a bike for a weekend and ride the hell out of it and see what you think. If I had rented a GL1800 for a couple of days, I probably would not have bought one (and saved the $20,000). I would have understood that the bike was just not what I was looking for and I would have looked at something else. Many places will rent bikes, although the selection may be fairly limited. I believe every Harley dealer in the U.S. now rents bikes. Take a FatBoy out for a couple days. It'll cost you a couple hundred, but you will really be able to decide if that's what you want. One last thing about the FatBoy: it has a deceptively small fuel capacity and range. A friend of mine has one and got stranded once riding from Sturgis back to the west coast because the gas stations were farther apart than he could make on a full tank. Even for day trips, you may find the range annoyingly short. Just something to keep in mind.

Clare, when you go in a bike shop, tell them up front that you are not ready to buy yet, just doing research to see what is available, what you like, getting their advice. That way you won't feel obligated if someone takes time with you. If you find a bike that interests you, surely they will have an area where you can try it out. My bike shop has an alley behind it. If they don't seem to want to take time with you under those circumstances, then that's a red flag that you don't want to buy from them. Ask for the store's card when you leave, and maybe you really even will buy from them. OBTW--I'm quite a bit older than you and still enjoy riding. Moni, thanks for the tips on riding. I enjoyed the shots of your recent bike trip. I'll practice lifting up from the seat, then putting the rt. foot down. Sounds safer than what I'm doing, balancing on my toes. I don't think I'd want to put the seat any higher though.

My understanding is that the Netherlands is great (and relatively flat for biking)! I know people who have taken VBT trips and loved them. Also people who have taken Backroads with great experiences. I have done Butterfield and Robinson trips (hiking, not biking, but they do both) which have been amazing in terms of sights, accommodations, food, wine-- well, everything, but they're very pricey and may not be in line with what you are looking for. I have not done the private tours, only the small group ones. I am not a "group tour" sort of person and was not sure at all about doing trips with strangers at first, I have loved doing these activity tours with a small group (our last trip, for example, was 7 people). Usually my husband and I do the small group walking tour, then a few days by ourselves on either end so we have our "alone time." As for the biking tours in general, the only complaints I have heard from friends who have taken them is that some companies do a better job than others in maintaining their bikes. So that might be something you would want to check for when you are looking at reviews, or when you are inquiring with the various tour operators.