Going Armstrong???

[Sub King]

GT, and especially Trek are legitimate brands. I have a Specialized Roubaix Comp and its really been a nice ride. As far other brands out there I'd be careful about newer names or brands that have little history in making road bikes. Not that they're all bad, but some of them make crappy frames and end up putting nice wheel sets or components with it to average it out. I searched for nearly 6 months and talked to a dozen or so "bike experts" at the local shops and such before I made my decision. As far as money goes however, this is not a cheap hobby. Just remember that you get what you pay for.

 

[CAMike]

Wow. Most of the folks who posted prior to me covered everything pretty well. It's true- the more you ride the less things hurt provided the bike you ride fits your body geometry properly. You may want to consider a "hybrid" bike for commuting vs. "commuting" or "mountain" bikes. The commuting bikes have long pretty large mud/water guards and look kind of "Ghey". A decent hybird with better than average components will run usually run between $500 to $750. 700x32 or so tires, derailer/brake components are too numerous to discuss here. If you can search for a one or two year old model that a dealer is trying to unload at a 25% to 33% off, that's your best bang for the buck. I found a 2005 in 2007 that was still in the box. It's a Marin San Anselmo and it's been very good to me. Have fun!

 

[UVaMarine]

I have a Trek 3700. I love it, and it was $325. I'm no expert by any means. Just a guy who needs to get to work and have a little fun.

Yeah I checked out the 3700, looked pretty legit. I was also looking at the 3900.

 

[Orion4life]

Specialized brand bikes

You may want to consider a "hybrid" bike for commuting vs. "commuting" or "mountain" bikes.

I worked at a bike shop while I was in highschool. A hybrid bike (combination road and mountain) would be a great bike for commuting on the road or a trail. The Specialized Crosstrail is a great bike. Most Specialized dealers are Body Geometry or 'BG' fitters as well. This can range anywhere from $50 for the basic adjustments, to $150 for an entire bike fitting.

My Dad decided to ride his bike to and from work everyday this summer. It is a 14 mile ride each way, and the hardest part of the route is dealing with the traffic. Not only has he lost a little weight, but he says he saves about $5 in fuel cost.