Well I will second or third or whatever that you should look into used. That said if you are buying EVERYTHING from ground zero I would try to expand your budget. Start out by getting a helmet and the other gear you must have (saddle bag, patch kit, multi tool etc, lights if you plan on night riding, some shorts) and then turn your attention to the bike. You will burn a few hundred dollars ($100-$300 depending on what you buy) on the ancilary items so by adding that much or a little less to your budget it will get you much farther. Then find a used gem on eBay, at a local shop or yardsale and have at it.
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