Road Cycling - Just startin off

I'm just sort of getting into riding. My friend let me borrow one of his bikes and i did a few 10 mile rides before he took it away from me....bummer. I'm looking to save up and buy a bike, amidst the rent and other countless bills.Anyone have any suggestions on what bike to start out with. I was looking at the specialized allez comp or elite. Any help would be great. thanks!

Make sure you spend as much as you can. A fully loaded Pinarello can run you 2-3 K. Go for something like that.

Then make sure you have a full pro uniform, really expensive shoes and a bike computer that calculates your average speed, cadence and income tax deductions for the previous year. These things make you go really fast.

Remember, it's more important to look good and constantly upgrade and tweak your bike than it is to be able to ride fast.

why is it better to look good rather than actually be good at riding? that doesn't make tooo much sense to me. I dunno it seems that just starting out it might seem premature to get the best bike. Mabye im wrong?

you just missed the sarcasm boat. next one leaves at noon eastern time.

income tax deductions for the previous year

But you forgot about the e-file option, that files those taxes as you pass any banking institution.. ;)

On a more serious note- my GF has an '02 Specialized Allez comp.. she seems to really like it. I have a longish torso, so I bought a LeMond, as the geometry fit me extremely well. Ride as many different bikes as you can, and find the make that suits your size/geometry the best. Also, now is the time to find some really good deals on some '03 bikes that are still left over.. I scored my '02 LeMond for about half of the normal price last year. Allowed me to get a better bike than I would have been able to otherwise. If it fits you well, I would suggest an '03 LeMond tourmalet. Great bang for your buck.. Lightish 853 steel frame with 531 stays, ok component set, ok wheels.. But most importantly- Ride a lot of bikes, and find the bike that fits YOU best.

thanks alot, I was actually looking at some lemonds in the shop a while ago. they seem like nice bikes. I can't wait to start riding. I think i'm hooked after a week

I was where you are a few months ago, so I'll share what I learned. I looked at specialized/trek/felt/lamond & Giant. I Rode lots of bikes, and tried to find a nice bike at a shop that would fit me well to the bike. In the process, I learned the "basics" of fit, and eventually went with the Felt because it was the best price/component mix of the three I liked. All the bikes I rode were great bikes, and I narrowed the field by component mix & fit. Of the two, fit was primary.

Most road-riders I know give me crap about having a triple, but WI has hills & I'm heavy and a new rider, so I love my bailout gears. This may be a consideration. The downsides of a triple are the chain is longer and more slack, so shifting is not quite as quick as it is with a double.

As to the level of bike to start with, I'd recommend at least 105 components or a 105/ultegra mix (or the campy equivalent). Some of the aluminum bikes can have harsh rides, so if you can afford it, upgrade to carbon fork and seat-stays. Your hands and rear will thank you when they aren't vibrating from the road 2 hrs after your ride.

If you want a more relaxed geometry (more upright) the Specialized Rubaix(sp?) is also a good choice.

As for computers, I recommend the Astrale 8. For about $35, you get cadence, sw, clock, av speed, max speed, instant speed, distance and odo. It's worked flawlessly for me.

While Laggard is being sarcastic, the spend as much as you can (within reason) is a good suggestion. Its better to spend 500 more now, than to spend 800 this year, and 2000 next year.

Thanks very much. That was really helpful.

In the mid-range ($600-$1000), extra $$ buy a lot more bike.
Pick a good bike shop, and make sure the bike fits you well.
Think about the range of uses. Do you want a sporty bike for racing and fitness, or one with practical uses for commuting as well as fitness.

Kawch-

Go to Wheelworks. They have the best selection in town (especially in Belmont), and the staff is better trained than pretty much anywhere else.