Did you read what I wrote, or just cherry pick? For further clarification the entry level bikes I looked at ran between 700 and 900. By the time I got the bike, shoes, pedals, patch kit & inflater, seat pack, water bottles and cages, and paid sales tax, it was about 1150 out the door. I can type slower if you like.

:popcorn

I was in the same situation about a month ago, and I could tell that the properly fitted bike is more important than brand, model, year, new-old, components, etc.

If I were you, I would look for the SIZE and fit first, then anything else.

Got enough to share? :)

Agreed, ride a bunch of bikes one of them will speak to you.

Yes, I read every word of your posts. I do not need further clarification or noise from you. I only disagreed that you should not buy all of your accessories at the time of a new bike purchase and that decent entry level bikes are all within your $700-$900 price range. That's all. I wouldn't want to decide on a pedal or pump without doing some research first you know? How would you know if the product was right for you or if the LBS had it reasonably priced?

Thanks for all the help, I appreciate all of your thoughts!

@ joe_5700, my boyfriend was actually in Life Cycle today... I think I'll just take him in there with me to check out what they have, as well as a few other shops in town. And my uncle who has been riding for about 30 years lives up in Portland. I'm hoping he might have a few connections for me as well... all this bike talk is getting me really excited! :)

Use those connections. You may be surprised at the deals you'll get with a foot already in the door.

oregoncharlotte: before you buy at LifeCycle, seriously at least check out Collins and Hutchs downtown (among others; also Wheelworks and Pauls, even Co-Motion just for kicks!... it's free)---then weigh your options. They all carry different competing makes of road bikes, and may also have good alternatives for your size (do not settle for a frame that is too large!). Also, don't worry too much about getting the most must-have-bling components---everything ca be upgraded as you have need (and money)! PDX also has gobs of good bike shops.

I was shopping in the $700-900 range and ended up with a CAAD9 6 for $1200 instead. I got torched on the accessories though as I owned nothing. Clipless pedals, Specialized shoes and a helmut cost me about $350. Then I bought gloves, cycle shorts, cycle computer, water bottle bracket, road kit and bag and my accessories ran $600 in the end.

So my $700-$900 purchase turned into $1800 but I dont regret a thing. I have ridden nearly 550 miles in under 5 weeks and did my first half-century yesterday.
The bikes are all very comparable in your price range. The bike shop and level of service they give you is very important as you will be frequenting that bike shop a lot after the purchase.

This may be an ignorant question, but how is it that helmets are so darn expensive?

'cause they can save your life or reduce serious injury?

There's a fair amount of engineering involved in meeting safety standards while keeping them light, comfortable and well-ventilated. And, of course, there's the ever-present liability issue. There's also a fashion premium for the fancier ones. You should be able to find a reasonably good one for about $40 MSRP. If you buy it with the bike, you can probably swing a discount. You could also go with the ultra-cheapies at Wal*Mart which will protect your noggin just as well, but will be compromised in weight, comfort and fashion.

The more expensive helmets have better airflow, adjustment, etc. The reality is that all helmets sold in the US have to pass the same safety standard, so the $40 helmet is no safer than the $240 helmet, the more expensive one will just have better features.

The old motorcycling response to that question is "How much is your head worth?"

The other posts about being able to get by with a cheaper helmet are all correct. A large part of what you buy going up in price is weight reduction and enhanced ventilation. I will tell you that after I got out of the ER last weekend following a bike accident, the first thing I did was go to my LBS and drop $100 on a new helmet. My previous helmet (a $40 Trek) had become a bit crushed by the steel bars hitting the back of my head. I shudder to think what would have happened had I not been wearing one.

It's difficult if you're a total newbie, but if you know what size bike you want, getting a used bike off craig's list is a good idea, for a first-time, entry level, road bike.