Originally Posted by
cougarkite
My budget is 500 max but something in the 400 or lower range would really be great...Anyone have pointers for a new bike in that range that would make sense spending money on? or what used bikes to look out for that would be good at that price point?
Most everything under $500 new will be made with so many budget cutting decisions that it wont be made to last without a lot of work.
With that said, go to raleigh's site. With an account and discount code(which is free) the bikes below are close to what you want to spend.
https://www.raleighusa.com/clubman-2203 $540
https://www.raleighusa.com/grand-sport-2408 $510
https://www.raleighusa.com/merit-145 $450
https://www.raleighusa.com/merit-152 $498
All are Claris or Sora drivetrain, so entry level shifting, but they work perfectly fine. The wheels on all are one area where cost cuts can be seen, but they should be fine for some time.
shipping is free and based on where you are, there is also a good chance it could be assembled at a store for free.
As for used, $400 should get you a very solid used road bike and since you mentioned you rebuilt your old bike, doing any maintenance shouldnt be a problem.
I wouldnt ever look for a specific model on the used market unless it was something I wanted to collect. If its a bike to use, searching for specific bikes will eliminate too many excellent options.
I would search based on general sizing and go from there. That would give you a good pool to start with and narrow down based on condition, price, components, etc.