The roll elite would certainly work for you, as posters above have noted. I think $650 is a great price for a starter bike. No need to spend any more if you don't want to.

I would certainly look at old steel bikes on craigslist first. It'd be much cheaper and if you decide you don't like doing it you're not out a lot of money. However, craigslist has one main problem. Mainly lack of information. How big is the bike? What is it made of? Does it work? Etc. etc. Most old mountain bikes ARE steel, so you don't have to worry about that. (Cannondale is the exception, they liked aluminum for a long time.) If you're not sure, take a magnet with you. Also take a tape measure. You want to measure the following length.



For you, it should be in the 19.5-21" range. That's an estimate, if you know what you're doing sometimes you can stray from that estimate, but take this is a good starting point. This is the MAIN CONSIDERATION for buying a bike. This measurement HAS to be right. If not, the bike does not fit you and it will ultimately be uncomfortable. Most shops offer complete tuneups for ~$70-$100 + parts, so if you find a good bike on craigslist for $150-$200, you just saved yourself a few hundred dollars. I'm not sure where you are located, but you can look up your local bike "COOP." Where they will teach you how to fix your own bike and you can tune it up yourself!

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that new bikes are going to always be better than old bikes. Old bikes that were expensive are STILL better than new cheap bikes. Hell, even some older cheap bikes are better than new cheap bikes (in terms of longevity.)

Good luck, let us know what you find. If you want to post what you find on craigslist here, we'll gladly tell you if it's a good bike or not.