Last year I got back into cycling (or... entered it for the first time as a person older than 12). After visiting my LBS and talking the the great shopowner, I got what's probably the definition of a "beginner" bike. It was a Fuji mountain bike, no suspension, nothing special. The normal handlebar shifters (Not the thumb pushing ones), straight handlebars, etc. It was about $350 I use it for when I go mountain biking with my friend, as well as for exercise just riding around on the road.

A few reasons are leading me to wanting an actual "road" bike. The same friend loves riding around the roads, and trying to keep pace with him on my mountain bike when he has a good quality road bike is almost useless. Along with that, I'm gonna be starting a short commute to my campus next year and would like to avoid driving when I can.

What I'm wondering is - Is there the same kind of low end bike, but as a road bike? I know I'm fairly dumb when it comes to it, but I'm thinking what you normally expect from a non-mountain bike... skinny tires, smaller frame, the curved handlebars. I'm sure you know what this amateur is talking about.

Like I said, the Fuji was a cheap beginner at ~$350. Is there anything like that for a road bike? If I could cap out at $400 (for the bike, not the extra accessories), I would be happy. Any brands/products you can recommend?

Sorry I think if you want a decent road bike for under 400 bucks you are going to have to consider used or else buy crap. A reasonable entry level road bike is more like 800-900.

I think if you are looking for an entry level bike along the same quality of your MTB, you'd likely spend around 4-$500 for something new. The problem is, bikes below a certain level of quality are great for neighborhood rides with the family and the occasional 10 or 20 mile journey but if you seriously get into riding, the stresses you will put on them will cause them to wear out and break down pretty quick. This is why the generally accepted range for entry level road bike around here is usually over $700 and closer to 8 and 9. Simply because bikes at this level are high enough quality to last for a decent amount of time.

55/Rad

4-500 might not be so bad. What makes road bikes more expensive than mountain bikes? More precision needed to produce? In that case, if $4-500 will match the quality of the mountain bike I have (which I'm fine with, it works for everything I need it to), do you have any recommendations?

I'm pretty sure this is the mountain bike I got - https://www.fujibikes.com/bike/details/nevada_5_0

As you can see, nothing more but nothing less.

Looking around the Fuji site more, there's this one which is in a bit uncomfortable price range, but I could still consider it - https://www.fujibikes.com/bike/details/newest_4_0

The component is a bit more expensive on a road bike than a mountain bike and it will normally weigh less. I'd recommend going with a used bike, the Newest 4.0 has the lowest level Shimano components offered and down tube shifters, which you may or may not want. For this price, you could find a pretty good quality used road bike. If you really want something new, look at the Raleigh sport; I road last year's model and it seemed pretty good for the price at the LBS ($430 on sale), but it looks like they are discontinuing it this year.

I was at a LBS last year and I rode a Fuji Newest 4.0 and 3.0 - both have Shimano Sora/2200 groups and they were decent bikes but I wanted a better component set. The 4.0 also has a steel fork and seatpost - keep in mind a road bike will transmit any and all imperfections in the road right to you! The 3.0 IIRC has a carbon fiber fork. And the 4.0 uses downtube shifters, I would recommend upgrading to the 3.0 just for the STI shifters and CF fork.

I'd say you would be happier finding a used bike with a better component group or see if a LBS has any older bikes for sale you can probably make him an offer on. I found mine on CL, a lightly used LeMond Reno with a Shimano 105/Tiagra mix. I've put almost 400 miles on it so far.

The unfortunate truth is that you can't really get an entry level bike new for much less than $700 and even then the components are not something that you will be happy with if you do more than occasional rides around town. If you have a performance bike shop in town you might check with them as they are clearing out 2010 bikes right now. Might find a good deal on something. A Trek 1.1 or Specialized Allez might be a good place to start too. I think the Jamis steel bikes are pretty cool too and you can get into one of those for maybe $6-700 or less depending on what sort of closeout deal you can find.

Used is always a option if you want to keep cost down and if you know what you are looking for and find it that might be an option. Personally, I think buying from a lbs is the way to go if you have limited knowledge as they will take the time to get you the right fit and a good shop won't try to up-sell you (although you might end up up-selling yourself as it's hard to resist the shiny new bikes).

As for why a mtb is cheaper I think it's because at that level they are selling tons of very low end bikes to high school and college students that they can make them cheaper. Although I'd say they are more mtb-style rather than a capable mtb as the components are unlikely to hold up for long on dirt trails and hard shifting.

When I was looking at bikes a month and a half ago I set a $800 budget. In one day it went to $1,000, because I decided I didn't like lower than Shimano 105 componentry. Then in half a week I rode the Trek 2.1, 2.3, Cannondale ?, and I fell in love with carbon forks... $1,300. Ohhh, Bianchi Via Nirone looks perfect! $1,350. Then I got introduced to a 2010 Felt F5 for $1,500. All carbon Then it was the wrong size, but they had a Felt F1C.

My budget went from $800 to $1,500 in about a week and a half

But now that I spent that much, I can go on being comfortable that this bike will be able to compete at a low level competitive race just in case and be really nice just as a road bike on long rides. I don't NEED to get the next level frame, because this one is definitely sufficient.

If you can, try to get the best one possible so you don't get the itch to buy another one soon thereafter!

Now I'm looking at a goal to save up for a Cervelo... (Probably a year and a half later or so to have a nice bike and a back up one~).

Well, a low-end LBS MTB is going to be leaps and bounds better than a box store "MTB" - mostly in components and frames. Shimano Altus/Alivio/Deore LX compared to Tourney. And the frame will be a tad better. My LBS was selling lower-end Treks for $350 or so.

My beloved Bella was bought for $600 on CL. I upgraded the seat and pedals soon afterwards. I just did the brakes and soon the crank. She - the bike has a 105/Tiagra mix and - gasp - Shimano hubs laced on Alex rims, which the hubs can be rebuilt if need be with new BBs and cones if they can be had.

Agreed. I just think part of it is volume in that style bike that keeps the price down a bit. I bought trek mt bikes for my kids (both adult size bikes) around that price as well but I bet my nearly 200lbs would do some damage with any amount of hard shifting on those components. My kids tooling around bike paths and going to school won't.

$500 will buy a somewhat decent entry level bike over at BD....

There, I wrote it...

Well, looks like it's used for me then! I'm just a bit wary since I don't know what I"m doing when looking for a road bike, so I'll likely be back with a Craigslist ad or two asking "What do you think?".

Thanks for your help everyone.

A cheap road bike will fall apart after a few hundred miles.

I think the reason that a good road bike costs so much is because road bikes are designed for thousands and thousands of miles, not a couple hundred miles before gears spin off the hub.

(for the record, both of the $200-300 bikes I've owned are basically in unrideable condition after a couple hundred miles).

Ask yourself, what's cheaper...

A $300 bike that falls apart to be replaced by a $1200 bike, or a $1200 bike?

+1...if you're mechanically inclined you'll definitely get a new bike that will do the job for years to come. For example,

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...rage_pro_x.htm

Look for year end closeouts. As a newbie to road cycling, I picked up a 2010 Specialized Allez on sale for $499 just after Christmas at my LBS.

I picked up my Fuji Roubaix Al frame, Carbon fork and stays, Tiagra/105 for $630 couple years ago after Performance points.

Lots of Al road sora/tiagra/105 bikes under a grand.

You can do better, you're local bike shop ought to be running deals. Especially with clearing out last year's models.

I personally wouldn't go for lower spec than this guy:
https://www.fujibikes.com/bike/details/roubaix_2_0
You should be able to swing that level of bike/componentry on a 2010 model for 7-800.

You don't want to be riding even a half decent road bike to your College campus. You want to ride the cheapest, ugliest POS that still works. Reason being is that its less likely to get stolen, and when it eventually does get stolen, losing a $50 thrift shop special is not nearly as painful.