Get a new bike. You won’t be able to tell what’s wrong with a used one and you might end up shelling out more than you need to if you find anything wrong with it.
Read up on bikes and listen to some podcasts. Bikeradar and Global Cycling Network have really good content that you can use to educate yourself on everything from frame materials to the drivetrain and tires and brakes.
Mountain bikes are heavier because they have shock absorption and fatter tires. Hybrid bikes have decent tires and can work great for commuting. Road bikes are generally for going fast. Do your research.
Don’t turn up your nose on the smaller brands. They usually get shit on by people on the internet because most people who love to talk about bikes are enthusiasts and have different needs. They might well have the perfect bike for your purposes.
You want just a versatile go-anywhere bike, like a Surley or Salsa or similar - probably closest generic type is a cyclecross bike.
Smaller 26" reinforced rims (if you hit a pothole they won't cause slight wobble or bump in your ride for ever after, like 27" or 29" unreinforced rims tend to). And 26" rims give you more manouevrability.
Fat tires like 1.75", slick with tread like car tires - knobblies if you're doing a lot of off-road (you won't come off in the wet because more tire touching the road)
Puncture proof tires with reflective rim like Schwabbe marathon or continentals
Do not get suspension bike of any kind - hard to maintain suspension forks, suspension forks add weight and cost, not necessary unless you're doing hardcore or semi-hardcore off-road downhill riding.
Just a mid-range drive train is fine
Use dry wax-based lube for easy maintenance - just wipe off with a rag and re-apply
Buy new so you can get fitted correctly, your back will thank you. But you can pay double compared to second-hand. But if you buy new you get exactly what you want and it's probably quicker
New bikes can feel uncomfortable, but often it's just the saddle. I found the saddle that works for me and it comes with me on all new bikes.
I have never bought new. The second hand bikes I've had have lasted 20+years no problem. My current bike is a converted mountain bike Cannondale frame (nice welding), 26" reinforced rims (trianglular profile) from my old giant mountain bike which are still going after 20years, swapped out front suspension forks for solid forks, entry level shimano Alivio drive train which is terrible for the amount of riding I do but I make do (I really need to buy myself a new bike). I've bikepacked with this bike in foreign countries, no problem, on-road and on gravel tracks.
If you can have a local and handy friend who cycles help, picking something up from facebook marketplace or Craigslist is the best way to get started. As long as the bike is mechanically sound and you don't grossly overpay, you can usually resell a bike with little or no loss in a year or two should you decide it wasn't the best fit/option.
If that isn't possible, buying from a shop is also fine - it will just cost more and you will lose a bit more money if you decide to offload the bike. The benefit would be having a shop for questions, and many will include free tune ups for a period of time after purchase which can be worth it.
You mentioned just getting into cycling but haven't said much about terrain. If you expect to stay on the road or paths, a flat-bar hybrid is probably the most versatile first bike. A mountain bike (accepts chunkier tires, frame is more slack, usually geared lower) would also be ok, but maybe not ideal unless you expect to be off-road at some point. I would probably steer you away from a road race setup (drop/curly bars) if you are just getting started as they tend to be less versatile unless you get something beefy and gravel oriented. Once you figure out where you will cycle and what style bike you want then spend the money to get a more targeted setup (ie road race, touring, gravel, mountain, etc).
Stick with the big names if you buy used - Trek, Giant/Liv, Specialized, Cannondale, etc (not an exhaustive list) instead of Walmart or box store brands. The big brands are more likely to be repairable and sometimes shops won't work on box store bikes.
This is a expansive and complicated topic, any additional information you can provide will help us in assisting you.
I think a lot would depend on what's your style, where are you going to be cycling? There are some general categories like commuter, mountain, road, recently more popular gravel which now days are more like mountain bikes from 90's. Most important is to start riding wherever you are, whenever you have time. Pick something you can afford and won't break your heart if you drop it (like 10K super bike).
I'd like to add that I personally think a mountainbike is a great starter. It's not the fastest bike you can get but the big tires are more forgiving with obstacles which is great especially for beginners. The slimmer your tire is the more attention you have to pay to the road. On a race bike you can't zone out during the ride.The downside is that you're lacking the capacity to carry a lot of weight comfortably so if you plan to do that go for a bike that's more focused on comfort.
If only for riding on roads/paved paths any used road bike with at least 7/8 gears in the rear with brifters will do.
If roads are a bit harsher or you want to also use it for commuting/grocery runs, something like a mountain bike would work.
Take a look at craigslist/marketplace for your area to see whats available, definitely try used bikes to get a feel for your needs.
When i started biking in my older adult life i bought a used road bike that i could ride for long distances on the weekends as well as use for commuting to work. After a few years i bought myself a more modern road bike for the long rides and converted the old road bike with flat bars and rear panniers for a more relaxed commuting and grocery hopper experience.
When you find a bike, just make sure the gears arent all chewed up and that shifting through the gears is fine. You can also take it to a bike shop for a tune up, but look for a local bike store as the big bike stores will charge a single, large fee just for tune ups, though they will still be throughout.
I still think used is the way to go. It does lower the bar of entry and if you get a certain style of bike thst doesn't fit your needs, you won't be in the hole as much financially.
It's a tough call. Experienced people are better prepared to evaluate the quality, condition, and suitability of a craigslist find, but on the other hand, it's a low-cost way to experiment and see what kind of bike and what kind of biking you like. The best is if you have a reputable used-bike dealer nearby. For example, a bike co-op can be a good option for that.
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