Paul Barnard

Helmet, gloves, and shorts is all you need. Depending upon where and when you ride, you may need lights. I wouldn't start with clipless pedals and cleated shoes.

You'll find that when you go to the bike shops, the bikes at the same price point are pretty equal. No "brand" is any better than the other. In fact, many of the bikes bearing different names come out of the same factory. There may be some minor differences in components, but functionally, they will all be similar.

Shop for the features you want on a bike. I'd recommend what is called a "comfort" or "endurance" bike. From there, select the shop that gives you the best vibe.

This is a very good read if you are going to ride in traffic. https://bicyclesafe.com/#:~:text=Tak...y%20overlooked.

Jeff Neese

You're getting a lot of good advice. Look at buying used for your first bike.

Consider that a good bike shop will charge a few hundred dollars to do a complete overhaul, including bottom bracket, wheel bearings, headset, true and tension the wheels, etc. And then including replacement of all consumable/wear items (tires and tubes, cables and housing, brake pads, bar tape, etc.) you're still probably under $300 for a complete restoration that brings the bike back to like-new (or better) condition. If you start with a $300-400 bike off Craigslist, your total investment will be $600-700. And that's on the high end. The market for used bikes seems to be depressed right now so you can probably find something for less. Finding the right bike shop is important. The closest one may not be the best one.

Also, many bike shops sell used bikes, already rebuilt as described above. Call around.

Jeff Neese

You didn't tell us much about your riding experience or where you'll be riding. Where will you be riding and on what type of surface? When was the last time you owned a bicycle? Why are you asking specifically about a road bike? Will you be comfortable on drop bars?

A hybrid may indeed be the right bike for you. If you want to buy new, look at the Jamis Coda. Tremendous value with a full chromoly frame, and even the higher models are within your budget.

Bald Paul

Absolutely spot on. I bought a used Trek road bike, and later upgraded the 8 speed drivetrain to 10 speed, and was still under the $1000 price point. Rode that bike for two years until I got hit by a car. Just a few stitches and road rash, luckily, and a good settlement with the driver's insurance company, after which I had the funds to buy a nice 11 speed carbon fiber bike! (I don't recommend that upgrade route, though.)

Calsun

Plenty of bargains on Craigslist and for the most part you only need to know the size you need. Labor at bike shops is very reasonable and most bikes are ready to go. Your only investment is in a tube repair kit and seat pouch. I have found Yelp to be a very good source of information on businesses and how good they are and how good their customer dealings are with actual past customers' experiences.

I would rather pay an extra $200-400 for a bike that is in better condition or has a higher end components. The only item I know I am going to replace is the saddle at the onset.

bikecommuter13

The latest bike I bought was in 2018. Did bike prices went up a lot since then? This 2019 Fuji Sportif 2.1 is onsale for $999.99: bike exchange link

Isn't that expensive?

There used to be a shop called performance bicycles that carry Fuji's and they have heavy change of season discounts. I bought my 2013 sportif 1.3c for around $400. It's similar to the one above. For exercise, the endurance bike should work out well.

I would say find out if there is a local bike shop that will have sales or buy a used one like others have suggested. I feel like for $1000, you should be able to buy something better than the Shimano Sora groupset bike. But for what you need, the Sora groupset works out fine. I am in similar situation, I need to get back to biking to exercise to get healthier. I don't see a need for me to buy something more expensive than my sportif.

spinconn

Well, your post requested a recommendation for a bike. I will take that to mean a specific recommendation. I am no expert by any means, but I recently bought a new bike for close to that price. It was $1,100 new, and I am thrilled with it after riding it for its first 1,000 miles. It is a Giant Contend AR4. It only has a Claris groupset, and is aluminum, and is an entry level road/endurance bike. I have owned a few better bikes that were more expensive, and they were, in fact, better and much more expensive, but none gave me any more enjoyment than this one. Mostly, that is because this bike fits me great. It is relatively light, quick, nimble, and comfortable for long rides. I am not suggesting that you would find the same bike as satisfactory as I do, but I do suggest that close to $1,000 can get you a nice new bike. I would venture a guess that the pro bikes of 10 to 20 years ago were probably not much better than my cheap entry level bike of today.

bruce19

I'd consider used and search something like The Pro's Closet.

smd4

I think this is entirely true.

It’s surprisingly to me that so many folks are recommending a used bike to someone who seems to have limited cycling experience. Talk about a crap shoot.

veganbikes

That would be a bad venture. There are minor things that have improved but say comparing my Dura-Ace Cilo to say the bottom end Specialized Allez, the Cilo would win heartily really smooth reliable shifting, fairly lightweight, much nicer looks and a more comfortable frame made from high end steel. No it doesn't have Claris STI levers but I much prefer at least on the front end friction shifting and the DA 7400, which is over 30 years old, didn't need much adjustment and still doesn't on a new bike (aside from some minor stuff when installing it on a different frame which you would do with any bike.

If I had to choose between the bottom end of what is available today and the top end from 10-20 years ago I would choose the old stuff but if I had my druthers I would rather have say 105 of today and get a good solid entry level groupset that will work well and last a long time and cost a little more upfront but less in the long term.

Maelochs

Meh .... Most of the stuff sold today was designed using what was cutting-edge 30 years ago---and all the developments and improvements made since.
Modern Sora might weigh more than 30-year-old Dura-Ace, but it is an incredibly solid, reliable, and smooth-shifting 9-speed system.

People who are emotionally attached to their old gear, well .. that's fine. But people who deny progress---and we all see it, and no one is fooled---should take a good look at themselves before giving advice to others. Think about the effect your words will have on someone who doesn't know bikes but might or might become a regular rider, IF he or she gets a good beginning bike.

WEe get it---you are happiest with outmoded machinery. No problem. I like my 2004 Honda with its puny engine and manual five-speed----but my wife's Toyota Avalon has more than twice the power, better road-holding, really good brakes, and a paddle-shift transmission which is worlds better for prole who really demand performance

The 24 Hours of Le Mans will run this weekend. There is not a manual transmission on the grid---62 cars, no stick shifts. Sorry.

Tell people to buy modern gear. later, they can decide for themselves if the finesse required for friction shifting, if taking their hands off the controls and shifting their weight to reach the shifters, is better or worse For Them. But stop trying to sell your preference to a person who really wants the smoothest, easiest transition for non-riding to riding.

It is the same with recommending used bikes. For an experienced rider who can do his/her won wrenching, who can identify mechanical issues, who can see a bike and know if it can be made to fit or not ... yeah, Lots of great used bikes out there for good prices. For a complete novice though, it is as @smd4 says ... a crap shoot. And if a person gets a bad bike, and spent all his/her money and cannot buy another .... yeah.

A new rider isn't going to have the same abilities and expectations, isn't going to even notice a lot of the stuff a lifelong rider might. What a novice notices is, "Can I just jump on the bike and ride? Can I work all the systems easily? Is riding fun?"

A new bike offers the best chance for all those answers to be "Yes."

IMO.

Ogsarg

Have you actually spent some time on a road bike? It's not for everyone. Some people spend good money on a bike and find they don't like riding at all or are not comfortable riding on public roads/streets. My recommendation is to pick up a used bike with a small budget, get a helmet, and ride it as much as possible. Hybrids are plentiful and inexpensive and will allow you to ride on the street, bike paths, and easy gravel/dirt. This will allow you to find out if you really want to pursue cycling and what you really want.

I started riding for fitness purposes about 6 years ago on a 30+ year old rigid mountain bike. As my fitness improved, I found I wanted to go farther and eventually that led to getting a used road bike, which led to longer rides, and eventually a new (significant investment) road bike. When I got that, I knew how I used the bike and the kinds of features I wanted. Now I think more about the enjoyment I get riding than the fitness aspect.

Bottom line is that if you don't really enjoy cycling, you probably won't do it enough for it to help your fitness so it's best to spend as little as you can to find out if it's right for you.

ElevatedEdge

+1 for the REI bike(s) listed, Specifically the 2.1 - thru axle is nice. If you have a local REI the offer free adjustments for the year and discount repairs. Otherwise a local bike shop might be a good option for a new new/used deal.

mattcalifornia

100% get a used bike at that price point. But do your research about proper sizing and what to look for when buying a used bike. It's worth putting in some time. I just checked my local craigslist and was pretty amazed at some of the deals I found. Specialized Tarmac for $900. Ridley Helium for $1200. Look 566 for $1400, Specialized Roubaiz, etc. and many others. All with excellent components (e.g. Ultegra or Campy Chorus) and appear to be in good shape. Plus they come with water bottle cages and maybe even pedals. They are a little older, but still outstanding bikes. As long as the frames are in good shape, it's hard to go wrong with those deals.

smd4

You're assuming right off the bat that the OP, who sounds very new to cycling, has any idea what it is you're even talking about here. You think this person knows what "Ultegra" is? Or "Campy?" or if $1400 is a good deal?

mattcalifornia

I'm not assuming anything. I'm indicating to him/her that you can find good deals on high quality bikes on craigslist. I also specifically said they should do research. And, I'm pointing out to the other knowledgeable posters in the thread what kind of deals are out there. I have no idea why you're trying to start some kind of weird argument about this.

PeteHski

I would stick with the major mainstream brands (they all offer very similar bikes at any given price point) and focus your efforts on finding a good, friendly bike shop who can help you with bike fit and type of bike. Your budget is sufficient to get started without resorting to buying a used bike. Buying used requires much more experience to avoid making a big mistake.

Common brands that a shop would typically sell are Trek, Specialized, Giant and Cannondale. Of those brands, Giant usually offers the best overall cost/value. A good friend of mine who owns a bike shop usually recommends Giant bikes for customers on a tight budget. So I would start with a shop selling Giant and they will almost certainly sell at least one other of the brands I mentioned.

Before you go into a shop it is worth a good browse of the manufacturer websites to see their range of different bike types and list prices. Even for road bikes there are several distinct types from pure road racers through to casual commuters/recreational models.

Attilio

Trek Domane SL5 with Tiagra and hydraulic brakes. It will be the last road bike you will want for a while. The lower level groupsets like Sora/Claris are OK but if you get serious at all about riding will require constant adjustments and due to lower quality pieces break surprisingly quickly. That said if you're the kind of person that just does neighborhood or bike path rides once or twice a week when the weather is nice Claris/Sora will last a lifetime. If you start riding a lot regularly you will get some quick fatigue and failure and it will be more expensive to get the cheaper groupset because it won't last as long and things have to be replaced more often. You don't need a 10k bike but that 1,500 vs 1,000 means the world in terms of reliability, durability and what you will be able to do with it long term. Buy once cry once I say.