Originally Posted by
Indolent58
For $200 you can get a decent quality steel road bike from the 80s-early 90s. It will have friction shifters on the downtube.
1. Go to a bike shop to test ride a few entry level road bikes to find out what size you need.
2. Do not buy a bike that does not fit.
3. Look on craigslist, which about the only place you will find anything.
4. Look for brands like Trek, Nishiki, Raleigh, Miyata, Bianchi. Avoid Huffy, Ross, Roadmaster.
5. Look for bikes with CroMoly steel frames (vs. Hi-ten steel)
6. Do not buy a bike that does not fit.
Good luck!
Nailed it. Buy the best bike you can afford, not the cheapest one you find. And no kidding, make sure it fits. Learned me that one the hard way.