Best bang for your buck on a $1,000 road bike?

James B · 07-12-2007, 06:54 AM

Going out bike shopping this weekend with a buddy who's just starting to ride. I want to find him a decent bike that he can "grow" into as a rider -- meaning something that is not so "beginner" that he's going to be embarrassed to ride it six months later. He's looking to spend about $1,000 on the bike, itself, with a couple hundred more set aside for the accessories he will need immediately (helmet, waterbottle cage, seat pack/flat kit, riding shorts etc). We're going to hold off on the computer, fancy jerseys, and clipless pedals for a couple months.