first time posting.. strange i was attracted to this section haha
if you're looking into a bike there are a number of things to take into consideration
how long you're riding..what kind of riding you plan on doing..how often you're going to be riding..
duration of riding- I ask this because there are a number of different styles of even road bikes, I recently made the move from racing downhill mountain bikes to doing triathlons this past season. started with a basic road bike which was perfect for in the city and short distances and ended up modifying it (aero bars) to make it more efficient on the longer rides. the materials the bike is made up also makes riding more enjoyable (example carbon and steel/cromoly absorb vibrations and create less fatigue on longer rides. Carbon is light, and much more expensive. For shorter rides, aluminum.. or even aluminum/carbon bikes are fine!)
type of riding- this is similar to length.. if you're only riding in a city.. you want to be able to get on the binders quickly in case some one pulls out in front of you. so aero bars may not be the best choice for that area. also there are hybrid road bikes, some with the geometry of a mountain bike (upright) and help with lower back pain. and others with road gearing/geometry but with knobbier tires and disc brakes... sorry lost my train of thought i'll finish the next section haha
amount of use- this is where you'll really notice the quality of a bike! quality components is where the price normal comes from. sealed bearings, cranks with replaceable chain rings, and for the most part just each component in general is of higher quality... then again there is the saying.. cheap light strong... pick one....
my new bike for the year! rocky mountain solo 90... time trial bike is going to take some getting used to
*edit.. about brands of bikes... who cares every bike for the price has one nearly identical in quality in another brand.. what you want to do is try it, and adjust/fit it thats #1!!