Ive been doing tons of research online, visited lbs, read thru many threads and talked with buddies who have more experience. I started my search thinking a hybrid would be the right type of bike for me, but now i KNOW a road bike is what ive been looking for... unfortunately my budget (600-700) limits me to considering only entry-level bikes. Budget is specific to the cost of the bike. Any accessories; helmet, shorts etc will come from other funds. My LBS carries Giant and Specialized brands primarily, i rode a DEFY model and thought it was awesome. Comfortable, fast, good fit, within the budget etc.
Now, my question is, by going with an entry-level bike like this, what would i be giving up, or losing, opposed to what i could get with a budget that stretches over $1500?
I plan to commute to work (15 miles each way), exercise, ride with friends and maybe local clubs on weekends at some point. I would like to work my way to riding longer distances as i get stronger and become more comfortable on the road so i want a bike that would allow me grow in those terms. Are those realistic goals for a entry-level road bike? Or am i setting myself up for disappointment later down the road? (No pun intended)....

You are way overthinking this thing.

Get the DEFY and and have fun with your friends.

Buy what you can afford and feels right....

Trust me, and I'm sure others will agree, whatever you buy will not be enough if you get hooked on the sport...

why don't i just jump in the trailer with my 3y/o, have my wife pull us around and i could have some serious FUN with my "friends"?
I think i understand the point you tried making, however i was hoping to get some sort of constructive reply and further help me on my purchase.
If it is in my best interest to expand my budget so my needs are met i could do so, if i can get equal value at a lower budget that'll make more sense. Im not sure i feel as though i am over-thinking this, more like i'm doing diligent research before investing in a bike i plan to get plentyt of use from... Thank you however, for your 2 cents.

I started on a used $15 road bike and was able to keep up in a group that that had $5000 bikes.
A $5000 bike would have not made me any faster.

all the cool people ride crabon

Yes.

Fortuantely I haven't had to buy a road bike for years but I'd imagine when you are talking about the difference between a $700 Giant / Specialized and one $1500, the frames are probably very similar but the components are your biggest difference. My 2 cents suggests buy a bike with a 10 speed cassette, and with at least Tiagra. Tiagra will keep you going for a few years (more actually), and with the initial 10 speed cassette purchased bike, you can upgrade / replace with ease.

This plus you're gonna buy stuff you find you can't use or find doesn't really work the way you thought it would work. Research and ask a lot of questions and you may save some money and headaches.

+1 Get what you can afford and you want to look at. (lets face it 30% of this sport it vanity) And learn and enjoy cycling while you contemplate and upgrade or a newer bike in the future with a larger budget. Once you are hooked. You will figure out a way to expand your budget. It just always seems to work that way. (Lots of times it comes in the form of understanding what you're buying and waiting on deals) More like your money might go farther. Plus you'll already have all the basics out of the way by then.

whatever you do don't buy a specialized. they hate and hate and hate and hate. hating on customers. hating on their employees. hating on other manufacturers. hating on their dealers.

Come on, man. Tell us how you really feel...

I think that he has a mild dislike for them, but I could be reading it wrong.

Get the Defy. It's a good frame andl later, you can upgrade components as they wear.

The Giant has a lot of bang for the buck.

Like somebody mentioned don't over-think this thing at this point. Plenty of time for that later.

they make a good product.

i only like the ones that say S Works on the side.

but i would never buy one i have a different brand loyalty

I have had great experiences with Specialized. For example- there was an issue last year with a couple of spokes breaking on my bike. Specialized replaced the wheels for free with a slightly better wheel than what I had.

You'll be fine. I started out on a $700 entry level road bike, and it lasted me for a long time. In fact, I still use it as a commuting bike. Even though I do most of my riding on much nicer bikes, I still love riding my first. Riding is riding.

It seems like you like the Defy. If it's "comfortable, fast, good fit, within the budget, etc", then go for it.

For the purposes and goals you listed in your original post, go ahead and get the bike that fits your budget. Your body's riding fitness will almost always be the limiting factor or weakest link; it's almost never the bike. Get the bike, ride it lots, and enjoy it!

dont listen to these suckers.

maxxx the credit cards and get a carbon-filled frame. made by artisans in tawaitaly, with a gruppo marx and the derpa ace paddles.

^^This.

While most people here will disagree, a bike is a bike. You pedal, it moves. The main difference is how well it does this. Entry level bikes work just fine. Over time, what you will discover is they may require just a bit more time to keep them tuned. Higher end components tend to work a bit smoother/faster and of course are lighter which is the holy grail of cycling (light bikes). Unless you are looking for a religious experience, buy the bike you enjoy riding and that fits your budget. If you get hooked, mortgage the house, the wife, the kids and feed your addiction.

EDIT: I will say it can be worth it to expand your budget in the $1000 range and look for something on sale to get the most for your money. The entry level model in most lines has been trimmed of every possible upgrade to get the price as low as possible. Look for something with sora level components or better yet tiagra (or apex in the sram line).

Others have mentioned going with the Defy. This is what I did (went with the Defy 3). I'd like to add that the guy at my LBS said that the frames on the Defy's are pretty much identical (all high-quality), and that you're paying for upgraded components if you go with a higher-end model vs. lower-end Defy (e.g., I think the Defy 2 has Tiagra, compared to the Defy 3's Sora components). The take-away message I got was that I could get the Defy 3 as my entry-level bike, become acclimated to road cycling and, if I really get into it, can always upgrade the components later (that is, if I don't go for an all new bike). Regardless, I'm very happy with my Defy 3.

My $0.02

^ what he said. regardless of what you buy, if you get hooked, you'll feel like it won't be enough. you'll always be looking to upgrade something. the DEFY is a solid frame and the components can easily be upgraded in the future as you see fit. i got an "entry-level" road bike with the intention of riding it for a season and then "upgrading" to a more expensive bike as i discovered what i do/don't like from different brands. here i am a couple hundred miles into my "2nd" season of riding that bike and i have absolutely no desire to get rid of it. all i upgraded were the handlebars and saddle and it still rides great. i could get a lighter bike if i really wanted to, but then again it would be a LOT cheaper for me to drop 10 pounds from my waist line than to drop 5 pounds from my bike. and for what it's worth, i'm just as fast as my friends are on their carbon bikes, i doubt i'd gain much speed or enjoy riding more if i had a more expensive bike.

"Upgradeitis" is endemic to all roadies, maybe even all cyclists. Lately, I've been spending decent money on a custom cruiser of all things.

Anyways the fact, as others have said, is that the bike in your budget is more tha suitable for your stated goals and well beyond.

If the bike fits you (critical), the wheels are true, the bearings smooth, the shifting is reliable and the brakes grab the bike will do 90%+ of all you will ever be able to do on a bike. Get your bike and get started.

Having said that, upgrading is fun. Expensive but fun.