Originally Posted by
bikerjp
^^This.
While most people here will disagree, a bike is a bike. You pedal, it moves. The main difference is how well it does this. Entry level bikes work just fine. Over time, what you will discover is they may require just a bit more time to keep them tuned. Higher end components tend to work a bit smoother/faster and of course are lighter which is the holy grail of cycling (light bikes). Unless you are looking for a religious experience, buy the bike you enjoy riding and that fits your budget. If you get hooked, mortgage the house, the wife, the kids and feed your addiction.
EDIT: I will say it can be worth it to expand your budget in the $1000 range and look for something on sale to get the most for your money. The entry level model in most lines has been trimmed of every possible upgrade to get the price as low as possible. Look for something with sora level components or better yet tiagra (or apex in the sram line).
^ what he said. regardless of what you buy, if you get hooked, you'll feel like it won't be enough. you'll always be looking to upgrade
something. the DEFY is a solid frame and the components can easily be upgraded in the future as you see fit. i got an "entry-level" road bike with the intention of riding it for a season and then "upgrading" to a more expensive bike as i discovered what i do/don't like from different brands. here i am a couple hundred miles into my "2nd" season of riding that bike and i have absolutely no desire to get rid of it. all i upgraded were the handlebars and saddle and it still rides great. i could get a lighter bike if i really wanted to, but then again it would be a LOT cheaper for me to drop 10 pounds from my waist line than to drop 5 pounds from my bike. and for what it's worth, i'm just as fast as my friends are on their carbon bikes, i doubt i'd gain much speed or enjoy riding more if i had a more expensive bike.