Originally Posted by
Slackerprince
Keep in mind, for what you're looking to spend, INCLUDING accessories, you're looking at a very entry-level bike.
You may want to put that money down on something higher-up and make payments on the rest.
As you get into cycling, and bikes specifically, you will go crazy with upgrades and "should have" second guessing yourself.
It's always cheaper to buy right the first time.
Good luck.
Slackerprince
No. Fail.
A good rule is to never finance something that depreciates in value. It is especially insane to finance a bike. If you are new to the sport, anything will do. Buy only what you can afford with cash on hand. You really don't need all the accessories we all have come to rely on. First bike, get a $30 helmet, spare tube, patch kit, cheap frame pump and a cheap floor pump. If you've got money left over, get a set of pedals and shoes. You can defer everything else.
Buy used if you cannot afford to buy new.
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Cat 2 Track, Cat 3 Road.
"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --
the tiniest sprinter