help point a new guy in the right direction
 

hey guys ive recently taken up an interest in road bikes and i am planning to purchase one soon. i cant afford something expensive so i would prefer to buy used to that i can get the most bang for my buck. i would like to spend no more than 800 dollars and i dont mind something a couple years old obviously so long as the quality is well worth it. i would greatly appreciate brands and models to look for so i can really get into something good and worth while.

also i saw this on ebay please feel free to comment about it
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CANNONDALE-2...item4abbf948d6

well amigo, your barking up the wrong tree.

ill give you two hints.

1. Dont buy that bike.

2. the internet is your friend, do research and you will find out more then you thought possible

3. Go to a brick and mortar bike store. oops thats 3...

check out this thread:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...t=under+%24700

Also, go to the local bike shop! They can steer you in the right direction atleast in terms of what size to get.
Occassionally you can pick up a deal on craigslist, just make sure the bike isn't trash on closer inspection.

Also- bikesdirect.com

At 800 you are right at the entry level price point for most brands. Plusses of going to a LBS and getting an entry level bike are: Everything is new (no deferred maintenance needed to be done), you get a bike that fits you, warranty, most shops throw in free tune-ups for a year, etc. Also it is the end of the season, so you might be able to get a deal on a 2012 bike as the 2013's will be coming in soon. Remember to budget for pedals, shoes, helmet, clothes too.

+1

When I started looking for my first road bike at the LBS, my budget was less than anything they had. They gave me great tips on where to buy some used and even other bike shops that might've had bikes for my price range. I ended saving my money to have a bigger budget and bought my bike at that same shop.

Thanks for the tips guys the link I posted was just of a bike I saw. Main problem I know next to nothing about it! Unfortunately new really isn't in my budget I've been to some LBS but none had anything used. I plan on going to get fitted at a LBS no matter what I buy and having it serviced. And due to the fact that I need shoes helmet ect. I have to purchase used so I can get more quality for less $$ hopefully in good condition. Any suggestions on models to look for? Perhaps a CAAD8? Or an ALLEZ or anything?

If you are going to buy used, budget for some maintenance stuff in your purchase, unless it's a never ridden bike it will probably need a chain, and some basic maintenance stuff after purchase. Try and get something that's fairly current, it will make replacement parts/upgrades easier. Personally I would say the sweet spot is 2-3 years old for a used bike.

excellent! ive got my eye on a 2009 Allez right now with about 800 miles on it. the only problem is that all the components are tiagra which i believe isnt very good correct? what would it cost to upgrade it all to 105?

Sounds like a winner, check here when shopping for used bikes: http://www.bikepedia.com at least you will have an idea of what it cost new and what parts it should have. Tiagra is fine, it will shift when you want it to, don't be put off by the 105 or better crowd.

Thanks for the link! They're asking 600 on CL which doesn't seem all to high but what do you think?

Test ride as many bikes as possible. I would suggest you even rent a few for a couple of days to see which one you like better. $800.00 is a great price point for a road bike!

For 800 you can buy a decent entry level roadbike. Especially if you look for deals on last year's models (2013 models just came in september).

One thing you should not underestimate is bike fit. There is more to picking a bike than just looking at the component spec and picking a color. The bike has to fit your particular anatomy. It really is worthwhile to go to a bike shop (a decent one) get some advice and try out some different bikes. You may be able to buy something more high-end when you go secondhand, but the most important thing here is that you get a bike you are comfortable on and that feels good to you. I mean, if you have never had a road bike before, you probably do not even know what size frame you need.

One thing you will have to take into account is that you also need some budget for the basic necessities. Luckily you wont have to buy it all at once. Within the year, not taking into account gear for colder climates you would want a minipump or C02 pump, a floor pump with pressure-meter, a multitool, 2 spare tubes, tire levers, a jersey, a pair of bibs or shorts, helmet, shoes, gloves, degreaser/lube/basic maintenance tools, bottle cages, water bottles, glasses. These things will most likely cost you over 200 bucks together.

Does it come with pedals, or any extras? I would think you could push the seller down a little, that was a 900ish bike new.

It includes a small pump and pedals that are clip on one side and regular on the other. Also Alex wheels? Is that the name? Sorry cant remember. Would that be a frame worth upgrading when I outperform it? Or better to buy a new better bike after I'm through with that one?

It's an aluminum frame, if you really fall for it, the carbon high end specialized frames share the same geometry. If you ride it for a year or two then sell it you can probably get back very close to what you put into it. Alex wheels are probably the stock wheels, they will be strong and heavy. The beauty of some upgrades (like good wheels) is that you can swap the stock ones back on when you sell it down the road and keep the good wheels for the next bike.

Thanks a lot! I greatly appreciate your help! So like I said it has a little pump I believe small bag two water bottle holder things and pedals. 800 miles for $600 fair? Or try to negotiate a little? If so how much?

Seems reasonable, figure on the other 200 of your budget going to shoes, shorts, a jersey and a little maintenance, if you shop wisely that should work, maybe push back to $500 and be ready to settle at $550.

As many have mentioned before, it really pays off to wait and do research on the web, and get tips from your lbs. I took a plunge on ebay, after careful consideration (i rode one before i bought, so i knew fit was right) to get a cannondale synapse with 105, but i scored it for $940 with only a hundred miles or so, since wear was not apparent. Waiting and budgeting a little higher than on first impression many times can get you a bike that when closeouts show up, or a guy bought one, rode it for a few hundred miles but wants to ditch it for some cash can net some really great bikes for not a lot of coin. Noise boy, thats right on the money. I paid about that for my cycling accessories (pedals and shoes) and a little more for clothing for some real bike flash!

Thanks a lot guys! The only issue is that it's my first road bike and I obviously have NONE of the accesories. The one thing that makes me doubt road biking and me getting addicted is my performance. I'm 19 5'8" ish and weigh 150. I work out often however not much running. For what ever reason running completely MURDERS me and I'm hoping cycling doesn't have the same effect on me any thoughts on this? And that's why I really don't want to buy anything above my budget. Due to fear of not being able to bike say 50-100 miles.