hi all, i joined up here last year looking for advice on a cheap beginner's bike just to see if i would enjoy cycling. i ended up going as cheap as possible and getting the GMC Denali from wally world (flame suit on /img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif) and although i found the bike to be complete junk, it served its purpose of getting me started and i found that i really enjoy riding. it didn't take long for the bike to start wearing down, things breaking, etc (which i expected) so now i'm looking to purchase something a bit nicer. when a couple of the rear gears literally broke in half, i ended up buying a used Forge CTS 1000 from a friend who recently upgraded to a Specialized something or other. i paid $100 for it and it's a LOT better than the Denali, but i'm not too fond of the shifters and derailleurs and it still feels "cheap" (not to mention it doesn't quite fit my 5'11" frame).
i don't have a whole lot of money to spend on a bike so i'm trying to stay in the sub-$1000 range, i'm more of a recreational rider and don't have any plans to getting into racing. i've checked out a few bikes online and at some local shops but i don't know enough about them to make an informed decision. i like the look and feel of the Specialized Allez Triple and the Scott S40 but don't know much about them so i'm hoping to get some advice and suggestions on these bikes as well as others that may fit my needs. i've also considered buying a used bike in hopes of getting something a bit higher-quality but still within my budget, but i don't have the knowledge to tell if i'm getting a good deal or if the bike i'm buying is in good condition, so i'd prefer to buy new. thanks in advance
EDIT: just realized i probably posted this in the wrong forum. maybe one of the moderators can move it to the appropriate forum for bike buying advice?
i don't have a whole lot of money to spend on a bike so i'm trying to stay in the sub-$1000 range, i'm more of a recreational rider and don't have any plans to getting into racing. i've checked out a few bikes online and at some local shops but i don't know enough about them to make an informed decision. i like the look and feel of the Specialized Allez Triple and the Scott S40 but don't know much about them so i'm hoping to get some advice and suggestions on these bikes as well as others that may fit my needs. i've also considered buying a used bike in hopes of getting something a bit higher-quality but still within my budget, but i don't have the knowledge to tell if i'm getting a good deal or if the bike i'm buying is in good condition, so i'd prefer to buy new. thanks in advance
EDIT: just realized i probably posted this in the wrong forum. maybe one of the moderators can move it to the appropriate forum for bike buying advice?
