Originally Posted by
BTWriter
The second shop was full of really friendly, helpful people, but they seemed pathologically incapable of considering anything less than 1200 dollars, particularly pointing to a Long Haul Trucker.
You're honestly going to have a problem shopping for NEW road bikes with a 900 all-inclusive budget. You can get a perfectly fine hybid bike like the
Trek 7.2 FX for under $500, and other options for even less. New drop-bar (road) bikes tend to run more and are really going to stress your budget considerably.
I always point people towards the used market, but realize that it's even more overwhelming for a new rider than the already-complicated bike shop is. If you lived near me, I'd take you around, view and ride the different types of bikes, determine your size, and then help you find a used bike on Craigslist or ebay. If you can find someone near you that will do the same, I am confident that it's the best route to take.
Very few people manage to buy the "right" bike the first time out. Combine that with the fact that so many of them buy new and it's an even bigger loss when they decide to move on to something else. As others have said, I wouldn't even
try to find the "perfect" bike the first time out.
On the bright side, your ride is relatively short. Most any bike you choose is going to get you where you're going. The Breezers are likely to break your budget. If that style appeals to you though, you could look at something like the Novara Transfer
http://www.rei.com/product/774424, the Electra Amsterdam, something like the Schwinn pictured above, etc.
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As a final note, don't get too overwhelmed with the forum recommendations about all of the things you HAVE to buy. For example, I've been commuting daily for several years now on bikes without fenders and racks. I carry everything I need in a 14yr old camelback. I carry a fraction of the tools that many here use. Of course, my lights cost more than some people's bikes so we all pick our priorities.