i think Trek makes a decent entry level road bike, and surprisingly, Cervelo also has some good options for road bikes in that range. felt too as well as (my personal favorite) Bianchi.

at that price range you should be able to test ride.

my advice is that for your first road bike, don't make your the process of your purchase too complex. go ride some bikes, talk to different shops, and go with the bike and shop you like best.

you'll love having a road bike where you live!!

Felt and Jamis have some nice offerings in the sub 1G range as well. Go to the shops and try them all until you get one that SCREAMS for you to take it home. Buy the one you like the most, not the one that's the best deal. You will not regret it.

Happy hunting!

Thanks, Kittycat! I was hoping to get more responses than the watch battery thread! Ha. I actually wish I still lived in Monterey, but now I'm in Boston - not the best location for cycling, especially as a newbie.

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Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away.

Good advice, b/c I would buy the best deal.

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Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away.

Don't. I speak from experience. I have a closet full of barely used running shoes that were a deal and later caused pain and misery. Take your time and have fun with it. Try out aluminum and steel bikes and how they feel under you. (You won't find carbon or titaniium at this level so they aren't worth mentioning.) If you are allowed a test ride, find a crappy road to ride. Flat roads feel good on everything, but it is when things are rough where you'll find out what you like or don't like about different components, geometries and materials.

I live in Boston - every road is crappy ;-) Is there a price cut-off for being allowed to test ride?

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Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away.

I've never seen one and I've taken $2K bikes for test rides in Chicago. I think if you were rolling out on a C50 or something exotic they may have some reservations, but not on a $1K roadie.

for your first road bike, i personally think you can beat a thousand bucks. plus this time of year you should be able to get yourself a good deal. when i bought my first bike i wanted to stay on budget (under 1 large), which i did and it worked out very well. the way i saw it was that i knew nothing about what i liked in a bike. getting a decent bike and riding experience is what counted. after i learned and had experience then i would be ok with spending more. (this too has worked out well)

i really enjoyed my bianchi brava--you can get one for about 600 bucks or so, which leave you plenty of room to get some additional things--pedals, shoes, etc. i rode my brava on and off for about 2 years and then seriously for one year. she is now my trainer bike, i will never get rid of her, she is solid as a rock! here is the pic of the 2005, listed at 700 bucks (which I think you'll be able to beat this time of year). complete with a carbon fork which makes for a very nice quality, yet still fast, ride.





here is the felt that's listed around 620 bucks. it's aluminum, so it wouldn't have the comfort ride quality of the bianchi, but it will move. carbon fork also...



in terms of durability, you'll have no questions or issues with bianchi. they're simply awesome. felt, i don't know enough about, but i talked with a girl at a ride last week and she said she really enjoyed her bike.

a test ride or two would certainly tell you more :)

PS--i don't know that much about Trek...i'm not really turned on by them, but maybe some people here can tell you more if you're intersted. and i'm not a cervelo wienie...so i don't have much to contribute there either.

let us know how it goes!

kittycat

Cool, thanks.

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Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away.

Thanks for the pics! Hey, if I can spend LESS then that is even better. As a newbie, would you suggest going after durability or comfort? My thought process is leaning toward something that will make me faster since I am pretty weak at cycling, but I really have no idea what I'm talking/thinking about.

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Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away.

well i think you have to consider what you anticipate doing. for me i knew i wanted to increase my bike mileage...and be out there for a few hours at a time. so i choose the bianchi over something else (and i can't remember what it was). it was a bike that i would be comfortable on for hours, but still be able to race it.

if you can get to ride both, you'll really be able to see the difference.

Well, I need to increase mileage and speed! I'll go test some out. I checked Ebay and there are a couple bikes sub $600. I've just got to figure out what size.

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Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away.

to tell you the truth, i think this is a good chance for you to start a good relationship with a local bike shop. they'll help you get fitted and give you good advice. plus, you'll need to rely on someone for service. at this stage in the game it's not going to save you that much money to buy off ebay. you have more control if you buy from a really good local bike shop, and it will help you more down the road. even if you can save 100 bucks or 200 bucks from ebay, you still have to think of shipping and the cost to build it up--plus you have no quality control.

a good relationship with you lbs will pay off...trust me. when you're in a jam and need a repair, if they know you they can make your bike a priority and get it done quickly. or teach you things about your bike, products, etc. things like this are invaulable.

I just found a Bianchi closeout for $479 at an LBS, so I'm gonna go check things out after work. I think it is a 2004, but who cares!

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Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away.

[reply] if you can get to ride both, you'll really be able to see the difference.[/reply]

I took your advice and rode several bikes - low-end to very high-end just for comparison. I fell in love with a Trek Pilot 2.1. It is a little over my price range (well, a lot) but I really liked the comfort, how it handled and how it rode. I cannot believe how much I have been beating the crap out of myself on a mntn bike!

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Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away.

so how much more?

is it possible for you to get it now since you like it so much?

Twice the price ($1200). I can get it now, but I am having guilt issues. It seems a bit luxurious since I am a grad student.

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Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away.

Hell, I'm a law student that will be 100K in debt when i graduate and I just bought a new ride. I'll just file some extra frivolous lawsuits when I graduate to make up the difference. Buy the bike and go sell some plasma.

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- Nick
Now that I know some of you guys look through the special needs bags for kicks, I'm gonna put some really weird stuff in mine. I can see it now. "What the heck was he going to do with a family pack of KFC chicken, a football helmet full of peanut butter, a 12 inch rubber dildo, and naked pictures of Bea Arthur?"

I hear ya - I'll be $65k in debt, unfortunately I'm then going for my PhD! I guess it is just a drop in the bucket when all is said and done...

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Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away.

shoot, if you're going to have to cope with that kind of debt, you better have a nice ride so you don't end up having a heart attack over it! :P talk about a great escape for yourself! sounds like it should be a prerequisit to me...lol.

Like I said, a drop in the bucket. Thanks for all your help, wisdom and advice :-)

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Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away.