1st bike buyer needing advice

I've been really interested in buying a bike for a while. I was just going to buy a cheap one, but I heard that those are just short of death traps. I have a friend who has been giving me advice, but the bikes he's recommending are in the thousands, and considering my college tuition, that much money really isn't an option for me. I have a coworker (I don't know well) who is trying to sell his bike. He said it's a mercier TT tri bike that he only used for 2 months to train/compete in a triathalon. I looked up the bike on the Mercier website, and the description was:
Quote: Triathlon 105 18spd Custom Butted 6061 Aero Aluminum
SuperAero Carbon Fiber Fork
Shimano WH-R500 Wheelset
Shimano 105 Rear Derailleur
Shimano Tiagra Front Derailleur
TruVativ Touro 53/39 Crankset
Shown with optional
MultiPosition Pro Aero Clip-ons


And the MSRP was $1,395. My co worker is looking to sell his bike for $350. I don't know if these are good specs or if the bike is really worth that. It's still a bit of money for me, but if it's a good bike, then I'm willing to make the investment. I just wanted some thoughts from more experience cyclers before I committed to it. So, any advice on this or just buying an used bike in general would be appreciated.

 

Why are you considering a TT bike? Generally, these are for committed road racers and triathletes who already have a road bike in their quiver and need a specialized tool for competition/

 

Oh, I didn't know that. He told me it was a regular road bike and made it sound like a really great deal, but then said he wanted it off his hands as if he was having a hard time selling it. I got suspicious to say the least.
I've been trying to do research by myself, but there just seems like so much to know. I wanted to make sure I got some unbiased advice before being settled with something I would regret.

 

The Mercier brand belongs to BikesDirect.com, a Dallas internet company that buys old bike trademarks and uses them to brand bikes made in Asia. The MSRPs are total fiction since there are no dealers. The MSRP is about 10-15% more than the bike's true value were it sold in a store, but then they're "marked down" to 25-30% "below retail." They're pretty decent bikes, but not quite as nice as the brand name models they're set to compete against.

I have no idea what your buddy's bike looks like. It might be a true triathlon/TT bike, like this:



or a road bike with handlebar extensions, like this:

Actually, if it's the latter it might be something you can use.

What I recommend, though, is visiting a couple local shops and asking to see and test ride a couple entry level road bikes that are priced below $1000. Every major brand has bikes in this category and they're all good. Get to know the territory so you don't make a mistake. Then, if your buddy's bike fits you and compares favorably, he might have a sale.

 

Thanks for this. I haven't heard of BikesDirect.com except on Google searches and it made me curious as to what type of company they are.

 

Thanks, oldbobcat. From the pictures I saw of the bike, it's more like the 2nd picture with the handle bar extensions. That's part of the reason I didn't question that it wasn't a road bike.
I'll take your advice and check out some other bikes in a shop before I buy it.

 

Basically reputable but low-rent.