Subject: RE: first road bike purchase advice Hi Christie, First, welcome to BT. Congratulations on starting your training. There are a lot of good entry level bikes available. Trek makes good bikes, as do Cannondale, Giant and several others. A lot will depend on your budget. Visit your local bike shops and tell them what your plans are and your approximate budget. Don't forget to figure in the cost of a good helmet (a necessity), & some bike clothes (padded shorts, etc.). If your budget can handle it, I would also strongly suggest that you consider a pair of bike shoes and clipless pedals - they will make a huge difference in your riding. One of the most important (if not the most important) considerations in selecting a bike is fit. Make sure the people at the bike shop take care in doing this, and aren't just trying to sell you what's on their shop floor. This topic is discussed here quite frequently, so you may want to scroll back through some of the previous posts. I'm not sure if I agree with the advice in the previous post about buying an "upgradable" bike. Other than adding clipless pedals or aerobars, my experience is that there's little to be gained in terms of performance or reliability and it makes more economic sense to save your money towards the eventual purchase of a higher-end bike. Most of the manufacturers do a good job of matching the frame and the components to start with. Just my opinion. Again, welcome and good luck. Mark |