One of the problems when you start out is that you do not know what type of riding you are going to get into. This means that you do not know what type of bike to get and the choice on types is immense. I rode Mountain bikes for years but 3 years ago I went road. Didn't want to spend a fortune on a bike but did not want too cheap either. I got a Giant OCR3- a respectable bike but way down on spec for a good road bike.

6 months in and I nearly gave up road riding. The bike was comfortable but it did not work aswell as the mountain bikes. It was harder to propel the thing forward and speed was difficult to maintain. Had a chat with my LBS and it was the wheels. Changed them and it transformed the bike. It now had the speed- was easier to keep moving and was a joy to ride. In fact it was so good- it got me up a mountain on holiday in France.

But- I had also realised that I had bought the wrong bike- the size wasn't right- it was heavy- spec wasn't there and Although it gave me a taster for road riding- I realised I had to get a better bike.

I now have 4 road bikes- including the OCR- and each has it's use- except the OCR that is a loaner to short people that want to go for a ride. But there is no way I would have spent the fortune I had on the second bike when I started out. And I did not know a great deal about road bikes in any case so could not have chosen correctly except by chance.

Get to the LBS and try a few bikes out and this will be with the type of riding you decide you may want to do in mind. Poinless getting a Mountain bike for road use- even if you do plan on the odd rough surface MUP to ride on. And pretty pointless getting a high spec road bike if you are doing trail riding.

It doesn't matter what bike you get initially- providing it fits and you like the colour. All that first bike is going to tell you- is what your 2nd bike is going to be. By the time you plan the 2nd bike- you will know what you should have bought in the first place.