Whether you're looking for pleasure, leisure, or to take off some pounds, biking is a great low-impact solution.

An intense workout can be as effective as running in burning calories without the pounding pressure on your knees and feet. And a leisurely ride can be as good as a long walk for relieving stress. Both are great ways to get out and -- depending on where you go -- sightsee or commune with nature. Best of all, just about anybody can do it. It doesn't matter how young or old you are, or what kind of shape you're in.

Even a slow-paced bike ride through the neighborhood can burn 100 or more calories in the course of an hour. A 160-pound person riding at 10 mph will burn almost 300 calories in an hour.

Your goals will help you decide what kind of bike to use.

Cruisers: As the name implies, these bikes are built for easy rides. They're good for gentle pedaling on paved paths or smooth dirt trails. Generally, they come in single- or three-speed versions, although some can be found with as many as seven gears. Beach cruisers are a variation on the theme for folks who like to take their rides by the ocean, with fatter tires to add stability on the sand. A decent new one can be had for under $200.

Road bikes: These are built for speed and long distance. They generally have lighter frames, thin tires, and as many as 30 speeds. They are, as the name suggests, designed for riding on paved roadways. These start in the low hundreds, but can get as expensive as small cars, with ones built of space-age carbon fiber and decked out with the latest racing technology running thousands of dollars.

Mountain bikes: There aren't many mountains around Fort Lauderdale. But mountain bikes are good, cheap choices for most beginners who want to ride on- or off-road with the same bike. Those who want to get a feel for the thrill of real "mountain biking" can try out the trails at Markham or Quiet Waters Parks. These start under $200, but can get into the thousands for specialized off-road racing bikes.

Hybrids: These machines aim to put the best design elements of road bikes and mountain bikes into a bike that's good for commuting on roadways, and can handle some light off-road riding. They tend to be lighter than most mountain bikes, but with the same flat handlebars of their off-road brethren. The tires are fatter than a road bike's, but inflated at a high pressure so that they go faster on paved roads. These cost about the same as mountain bikes.

No matter what kind of bike you use, one rule never changes: always wear a helmet.