Looking to buy new bike

In article
.com,
wrote:

Hi,

I'm wondering if I can get some opinions on a road bike. I've deided to
return to biking after a 19 year layoff. I'm now 36 and have decided to
trade my weightlifting belt for a bike. Can anyone recommend a good
manufacture/model and price range?

My goals would be distance ridinging, probabaly about a good 15-20
miles per ride. I'm 5'6" 180lbs powerlifter. The last time I was on a
bike it was a redline BMX and things have changed a lot since then.

As others have said get fitted at a bicycle shop
Go to several local bicycle shops and shmooze.

Something to consider: your physique will change. You may lose
weight. You may become more flexible. Try to fit the bicycle for
now and for later. Leave in some adjustment. For instance when you
order the bicycle leave the steering tube long; do not let the
shop cut it down immediately.

rec.bicycles.tech added.

--
Michael Press

If I may criticize this a little - Michael is completely correct that
going from weight lifting to bicycling you are going to see a large
change in your body shape and flexibility.

But my take on this matter is that you will also be learning a lot
about bicycles and developing your own tastes. I don't think that it's
likely that you are going to buy a first time bike that you are going
to be happy with. If for no other reason that curiosity you're going to
want to try different bikes.

So don't worry too much about "the perfect bike" because in a year or
two of riding your ideas of what constitutes a perfect bike are going
to change dramatically.

And simply paying MORE for a bike will generally not get you much
except better components (since Shimano 105 stuff will last 5 years
whose worried?) or a lighter frame. And you are going to lose more
weight from your shoulders, chest and arms than the difference in
weight between a $900 and a $5,000 bike so that should be the last
thing on your agenda.

If someone asked me for a good high end first bike I'd suggest the
Raleigh Pro. But Trek, Specialized and others have equally good
products and it's better to go to a local shop and buy what they have
then to try to get a specific bike unless you REALLY want it.