Couple of ?'s

I'm new to cycling and am wanting to know what things HAVE to be bought in a store and what can be bought online, since fit is a huge thing. (since the stores around here don't carry everything and because Im extremely meticulous when it comes to having the best for my money)

Second what things can be skimped on as far as money and what things can you not skimp on as far as quality is concerned. (since Im only 16 and money is limited)

And while im at it who else thought Yaroslav Popovych's attacks were amazing today? (I was jumping and fist pumping it was so awesome)

The pain those guys can endure is amazing, ony having 30secs rest each time then going again must have killed him, bet he's out the back for the next stage. Disco are having a worse than expected tour this year, have to go for stage wins.

In my opion if you are young and want the most speed for your money, try and get good wheels/hubs and drive train. Smooth running more durable stuff. Chances are you can't afford a frame that you will upgrade, so try and stretch for 105 drive train and hopefully 550s or better. Don't let marketing hype convince you that carbon fibre or saving a few hundred grams will make you that much faster, training harder on durable parts will make YOU faster.

If you are still growing, go second hand as you could well grow out of what ever frame you get. Look carefully for crash damage on Al frames though.

Handle bars, stems, seat posts and saddles are good places to save money, as long as they are comfortable and won't fail (it even happened to George remember!)

As far as buying from a shop, if you don't know what to look for, go to a shop. Buying online is best left to guys who know what they want and why, and know how to fit it. Good advice from your LBS could save you a head ache in the future.

The one thing that I would not buy on-line is shoes. I suppose if you were buying the same model and size repeatedly it might work out, but when I buy shoes I just keep trying them on until my feet tell me "this pair fits".

Don't skimp on a good pair of (bib)shorts and a comfortable saddle. You'll probably want to buy those two things in-store, as well.

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Look around for a shop with some leftover 2005 bikes. You'll get much more quality for your money. I know Fuji is giving their dealers AMAZING deals on 2005 left overs right now, so see if you can find a Fuji dealer. They also have A LOT of leftover stock that shops can order.

I'm more or less in the same boat as you are, I'm 17 years old and don't have too much spare money to throw around on high end stuff, however I am lucky enough to work at a bike shop and get employee pricing. If you know a bit about working on bikes then try to get a job at a shop. You will save a TON of money, and smaller, local businesses tend to like hiring teenagers since they can pay them less than an adult with a family.

Stuff you MUST try on to get the fit right: shoes, helmet, saddle

I've bought plenty of other clothing (shorts, etc.) online and it fits just fine.

If you have no idea about fitting a bike, you have very little choice but to head for the bike store. Buy the shoes, helmet, shorts,etc., and while you are at it, make friends wtih the bike store folks, and try to find out what size you will need in a bike. With any luck at all, someone with that size bike will be upgrading, and you can get a decent quality bike at a great price. If you do know what size(s) you need, used bikes are available all the time, especially if you take a common size.

I bought a new bike my first time. I still have it, but haven't ridden it for years. It'll be my next refurb. The next bike was the Eddy Merckx I am in the process of restoring right now. I bought it from the racer/mechanic at a pro bike shop in a newrby town. It was a hell of a good fit and a hell of a deal! I did an awful lot of shopping/looking before I found it, so don't get impatient.

Don't mess around with fit, though. Go learn what good fitting entails. Frame, frame geometry, stem, handlebars, cranks, seat height, even the pedals and cleats. Not only will it minimize injury, but will be more efficient (faster). As I mentioned in a thread here a few weeks ago, seeing someone on an ill-fitting bike makes your eyes hurt. Unlike golf, where if it feels good you are doing something wrong, a properly fitting bike ought to be a comfortable joy to ride.

And gloves. I've had bad luck buying gloves online that had padding in exactly the wrong place for my hands.