your friend has no problem suggesting top of the line...when i returned to cycling i bought a Trek 1.2 back in '08. alloy frame with carbon fork and entry level 8 speed sora shifters. the bike was about $700, well within my budget at the time. It is the only bike i have that i can ride although i have recently replaced the entire drive train so it is a bit better. the bike fits me like a glove, make sure yours does too, probably the most important aspect of a bike. and before spending lots of $ just make sure you really want to be riding, don't let it hang from the garage ceiling, it wants to be ridden.