Originally Posted by Mulberry20

If this is your first bike get a steel bike. I have two bikes and both are steel, a Serotta Fierte with Carbon Rear and Colnago Master. Both are fitted with Campy components and both have over 7,500 miles on them without anything but minor adjustments.

I hate Shimano components because many things cannot be rebuilt and I hate all the useless changes to them every year.

Don't fall into the trap that all carbon, all titanium or all aluminum bikes are best.