Originally Posted by moxfyre
Go for used, dude. You can get such good value on a used bike, especially a commuter-type bike.
Or if you're mechanically inclined, build your own. I lusted after the
Trek 520 (lovely steel touring bike) for months, but it was out of my price range, so I decided to build my own. I carefully assembled parts from swap meets and craigslist, then built it up. For $325 I had a bike which is nearly identical in components. I've been riding it every day for about 14 months, and I love it... best bike I've ever owned.
Holy crap, $325?! wow. Unfortuantly, I dont think Ive got the time required to do such a thing, as it would be a big learning expeience. I know how to do basic maintananace and repair...but I wouldnt know where to begin when starting from scratch.....