Looking to buy an entry level street bike

I am looking to get into biking and probably want to get a street bike rather than mountain bike.

As far as costs go I was thinking a maximun of 500, I really dont know if that is going to get me a quality bike but i do want to keep it for atleast five years.

I am new to this so if 500 for a new quality bike is unreasonable please let me know.

Thanks for your help

 

i'm a novice myself but have gleaned a bit of information on the interwebs and from a friend who is an avid cyclist and works in a local bike shop.

$500 isn't entirely unreasonable but that really depends on what kind of riding you plan on doing and how much abuse the bike takes. cheaper bikes will still have some quality components, but i hear they will wear out quicker and require more maintenance than some of the higher-quality ones. i started off the way some probably have, by going to wally world and getting the GMC Denali for about $150. i didn't expect great things from that bike, and i got about what i expected, but it served its intended purpose and i realized after a few months that cycling was something i intended to keep doing.

after parts started to break on that bike, i picked up a barely used Forge CTS 1000 for fairly cheap and so far i've been impressed. the shifters and derailleurs took a bit of adjusting and still don't quite shift right from time to time, and the bike is a little on the small side for my 5'11" frame, but for the cost of the bike i'd say it's a good starter and if you take care of it then i don't see why it couldn't last 5 years. it retails online for around $400 ($380 at Target last time i saw) so that may be something you'd be interested in.

another option is buying a used bike. get on craigslist and start searching, there are some pretty good deals to be had on used bikes, i've seen some people list them for about half what they retail for just to get it out of their garage.

hopefully some veteran riders will chime in here, my knowledge is very limited and i'm currently in the market for a new bike myself but i'm looking at spending around $1000.

 

Using the info that rmr1923 has posted. You can see that buying a bike on the cheap can cost more in the long run.

If his first bike purchase was a $1000. he would be ahead $300. dollars right now. ( I'm estimating he paid $150 more or less for each bike)

If he purchased a $1000. dollar bike right off the bat and decided he did not like cycling he could have turned around and resold the newer model bike for around $800.

My advice is to keep away from the cheap low end road bikes. You can get a good entry level bike from your LBS for around $800. and even lower if they have left over models on the floor. You will also get a bike that fits properly instead of dealing with a misfitting bike.

 

+1 on the above advice and I'll add:

Test ride some bikes at your local bike shops to found out exactly what size you need and what type of bike you prefer. Then keep your eyes peeled for used bikes of that type and size. Tell the bike shops what you're looking for and leave your contact info.

You might be able to find a bike 1 or two years old in great condition for half the price of a new one.

 

great advice, i hope the OP can learn from my mistake(s)

in my situation i wasn't sure that i would enjoy cycling, which was my not-so-well-thought-out justification for buying so cheap to start out with. what i didn't know at the time (nor did i take the time to research, which was my first mistake) was how well a higher-quality bike would retain its value, so in the long run i would have been better off just buying the $1000 bike and if i didn't like it. i do understand that some people just simply can't afford to drop $1000+ on a bike and want something cheap just to get them out and riding, but if you think you'll stick with it on more than a casual basis, a higher quality (and thus higher priced) bike would benefit you more in the long run. i'm looking at craigslist every day and there are some great deals to be had in my area, just haven't found "the" bike yet. do a bit of research about specific models you find for sale, see if there are any known issues, meet up with the person and check it over real well, and you can probably find a great deal this way. i've found several $700+ bikes listed on craigslist for around $500-ish just in the last few days in the Houston area.

my 2nd mistake was jumping at the opportunity to buy the Forge that i have now so quickly. i knew it was a little small for me and wasn't exactly what i was looking for, but i also didn't have the money at the time (thanks to the IRS) to buy what i was looking for, so i just bought the bike because i wanted to get back on the road ASAP. there is a silver lining with the Forge though... i didn't pay a lot for it and it's in good condition, and it just so happens to be the right size for my wife. i had the seat up nearly as high as it could go and as far back as it would go, and it was still a slightly cramped fit. i think the Forge is advertised as being sized for riders that are 5'6" to 5'10" (i'm 5'11"), my wife is 5'6" so we got her on it and started making adjustments (with the help of a friend who knows what he's doing) and it's a near-perfect fit. so she's going to keep that bike and i get to shop around for a new one /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif