Roak bike recommendations please

I'm interested in getting some recommendations on a new or used
lower-end road bike. I'd bike for fitness and mostly on paved roads. I
don't want to spend more than ~ US $800. I understand that test riding
bikes is very important, but I'd like to get some suggestions on where
to start first (which brands/models etc).

Daniel: There have been quite a few threads on exactly your quest lately;
you don't even have to bother doing a google search to find them, just click
on the "headers" option in your news reader and, if you download the past
1000 or so, you'll be able to spot them pretty quickly.

But to get you started, you can get a very nice road bike for around $800
these days. The 2003 TREK 1200, for example, gets you a very light
domestically-produced aluminum frame & carbon fork, Tiagra 27-speed
components, and very nice wheels (32 spoke built on the asym rear Bontrager
rim, which offsets the spokes so you get substantially less dish than a
conventional rim). It also has classic Italian road geometry that's been
around for ages, so there won't be any funny surprises regarding fit or
handling.

But, as you know from reading this newsgroup, fit is a very big issue,
especially on your first nice road bike, so finding a very good dealer is as
important as the bike itself. Try especially to find one that understands
*your* dreams about how you're going to ride, rather than a salesperson who
is all caught up in how he rides (and thinks everyone else should ride as
well).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

x-no-archive:yes

But, as you know from reading this newsgroup, fit is a very big issue,
especially on your first nice road bike, so finding a very good dealer is
as
important as the bike itself. Try especially to find one that understands
*your* dreams about how you're going to ride, rather than a salesperson
who
is all caught up in how he rides (and thinks everyone else should ride as
well).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles


I like seeing you write that because at the first bike shop I went into, the
college-age salesman asked me how much I wanted to spend, and then before I
could open my mouth, told me that if I wasn't going to spend at least $2,000
I wasn't serious about buying a bike. Then, he said, he personally would
only ride Litespeed. All of this before I even got to tell him what I
planned to do with the bike!

Pat in TX