If you are good with a few wrenches and don't mind finishing up (minor) assembly work, then I would look at the website Bikes Direct .com
From what I've read, people either like them or despise them. They do have a huge line of bikes, but not top name brands (Specialized, Trek, Cannondale, etc...) They have brands line Windsor, Dawes, Gravity, and the better known Motobecane.
Save up to 60% off Road Bikes, Free Ship 48, Schwinn, GT, Kestrel, Fuji, Motobecane and more Road bikes. Authorized dealer for Schwinn, GT, Kestrel, Fuji, Motobecane, Mercier, Gravity, Dawes road bikes. Shimano Carbon Road Bikes, Titanium Road Bikes,
The cheapest, absolute bottom line, bargain basement priced, road bike they have are:
Dawes Lightning Sport = $259
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Mercier Galaxy SC1 = $259
Save Up to 60% Off New Road Bikes, Roadbikes - Mercier Galaxy AL SC1 Road bikes
I am seriously no expert on road bikes, and like you, I too am looking for a first road bike. I don't want a road bike where I'd have to take out a 2nd mortgage to pay for it, you know what I mean?
(no offense people... just sayin') But with that said, and looking long and hard at Bikes Direct, even I am leery of a $259 road bike! I'd go up a few models and get something with way better components that doesn't have "old school" stem shifters. In my opinion (whatever it's worth), I'd focus on spending minimum of $500 for a first road bike, and ride the #%$^ out of it, while saving up for a top name, way better, Shimano 105 component, road bike.
Regarding Craigslist and eBay... My advice - be careful with that avenue. I checked out Craigslist in my area a while back and saw a guy
trying to sell an old 1982 Raleigh Grand Prix 27" 10 speed road bike, and the dude was asking $250 bucks! I replied to it and he got mad at me and pulled the ad. If I remember, all I asked him was something like, "Seriously? $250 for an '82 Raleigh? Wow... Is anything gold plated on it or perhaps, all the members of the Rolling Stones autographed it with a sharpie?"
