Hi all,

I'm new to road bikes, though I had a Cannondale mountain bike until it was recently stolen. I'm learning the lingo through these forums while I search for an affordable, high-quality steel touring bike, anywhere between 10 to 25 years old. I'll be using it for grocery hauling, getting around the San Francisco sprawl, occasional touring up in the hills and coastlands, and perhaps daily commuting in the future.

I'm on the prowl for any of the following bikes, in no particular order: Trek 520, Fuji Touring, Miyata, Bridgestone RBT, Specialized Sequoia, Schwinn Voyageur, Bianchi Volpe. I'm open to other suggestions in the same category. Notice the lugged steel theme?

If anyone has a lead on one of these, or is looking to sell that old bike in garage, I'm interested. Ideally, I want something I can ride today, but if it's the right one in need of some tlc I'd buy it and make it work. My price range is $200-$400.

These forums are great! I've learned so much already from the well informed patrons, and many of the newbie questions could be pulled straight from my naive mouth. Keep it up!