Hello From Iowa
I stumbled upon this forum while researching cheap(ish) road bikes; I have a lot to learn about components and whatnot. My current ride is of Wal-Mart quality...a Schwinn Sidewinder 2.6fs (steel mtb) in Corvette colors. I am a huge fan of the Chevrolet Corvette so this bike was appealing. I fitted it with slicks and used the bike for a day of ragbrai (lots of fun!). I did not realize how heavy my bike was until loading up on the bus. I lifted a lot of road bikes that weighed next to nothing...then came my steel rig. I struggled to lift it to the roof of the bus LOL! Anyway, 500 miles on such a bike is too much IMO.
Fast forward to today, I am researching road bikes to lighten things up. I spent last summer trying the bike-thing, now I'm hooked. I want to take things to the next level, slowly. I understand that the cheaper road bikes available on eBay are looked down upon by many members of most any bicycle forum...I am a college student, money is tight, and these are appealing. Most people I talk to suggest going used, so I watched eBay and Craigslist for a while unsuccessfully. Now I'm looking to the Windsor Wellington 2.0 (though still looking). I have a feeling that in the future I will look to Cannondale and other higher end bikes...it's only a matter of time:-)
I look forward to learning more about the bicycle and it's culture, and making friends through discussions on our site. Thanks!
Jordan