I've just started cycling (no more than a month) on a Cannondale Silk Path 900 Hybrid bike. The bike is too big for me--my triceps are often sore after a ride (from having to reach across so much) and my hands are often in pain from keeping my elbows locked (again, reaching across so much)--but I'm in love with the sport. I have a lot of soccer experience (played from when I was 4 to about 16, I'm 18 now), but I'm a bit out of shape (5'6", 160 lbs.) and I could stand to drop my body fat a bit more, but the bike I have now is definitely not good material for the longer rides.
Here's my question, since this
is an article about new bikes: what are some of the cheaper RR models that are actually race ready? I'm looking to spend about $800-$1K on a nice bike that I can enjoy for a while, but I want something in case I get into serious racing sometime soon. Any ideas?
Oh, and I guess I'm one of the people that found the site before getting their first road bike, eh?