PhotoJoe 

I would encourage you to ride as many bikes as you can before deciding. One may be significantly more comfortable than another. Try the Allez, Secteur, Giant Defy, Cannondale Synapse, etc. I'll bet if you do, you'll enjoy your ultimate purchase more, thus encouraging you to ride more. Good luck in whatever you do!

bassjones

That's a nice bike. The new Sora is pretty good too, definitely an improvement over the older Sora. You might consider the Secteur as well. It's a more relaxed geometry for a bit more comfort with the same components.

bigfred 

The Allez should be a decent enough bike.

Immediate gadgets:

-Helmet
-Spare tube, tire levers, patch kit and frame pump
-Bottles and cages

Next step:
-Gloves
-Shorts
-Clipless pedals and shoes

Have fun with the new ride. And remember, we demand 'new bike' pictures:-)

Cfiber

You don't want to base your decision either upon the kind of deal you get, or the type of components that come with the bicycle.

You first decide upon the type of cycling you anticipate doing, over what type of terrain. This decision should determine in general the type of bicycle for which you should be looking. Next, decide upon your budget, without first considering any sales or coupons, prior to your final decision concerning bicycle type.

At this point, you should also decide the type of frame material preferred for your bicycle along with the best possible components you can get, with that particular bicycle, that fits within your budget. Finally, you should visit as many bicycle shops as you can, and ride all the bicycles possible, that suit your type of cycling, and that fit within your budget. This test riding experience will form your comfort level baseline from which you'll judge the degree of comfort that each bicycle provides you when cycling. Once you've completed these steps, you should be a better bicycle consumer.

You should not buy a used bicycle of any kind, unless you are accompanied by someone who is familiar with bicycle mechanics and who can instruct you about the proper fit of a bicycle.

Never buy a bicycle without test-riding it first. If you do, you're gambling at your own risk.

Never buy a used carbon fiber framed bicycle from a complete stranger!

* When considering the purchase of a road bike, remember that there are basically two different categories of road bikes. Serious road racing bikes that have aggressive geometries and endurance oriented road bikes, that have more relaxed geometries. Most newbies do better with road bikes that have relaxed geometries.

bassjones

Secteur is relaxed, Allez is aggressive. For Cannondale, CAAD 10 is aggressive, Synapse is relaxed, CAAD 8 is kind of in between.

Evansss

I settled on the allez sport and im in love with it.

bought all the necessary gear to start riding, now im working on pedals. after maybe a few vintage jerseys and bibs but after that IM DONE!! this has been a much more costly habit than i thought it would be but I enjoy it immensely. Bought a cree xml headlight, and a hornit bike horn. def things that are needed when riding in NYC