Originally Posted by
caelric
If you can even spare a couple hundred, start hitting up craigslist for a used bike. A decent used roadie can be had for $100-400 or so. Thats how I got my first roadie, a 2003 Bianchi Giro for $300. It's still in great shape, and I have used it in a tri, olympic distance as well.
I ended buying a tri bike off CL as well, nice Cannondale Slice with DuraAce throughout. Just have to be ready to jump at what you see on CL