Injuries have screwed my running lately and I've started biking more. I'm looking to buy a road bike that I could potentially use for racing if I never get back to running or perhaps as a Tri bike if I do get back into running.
I've actually gotten quite serious about the biking - 150+ miles/week. It seems like every thread I read on the bike sites recommends going through the bike store but I can get a much better bike used off craigslist. Is this a bad decision if I'm a novice? Can I read enough to know what to look for when I ride the bike without someone specifically fitting me? I went into the LBS this weekend and they didn't really have any fancy advice - they just gave me a bunch of bikes to ride and asked me what I thought.
Any suggestions on a good starter bike that could eventually be used for racing?
Oh yeah - my price range is under $1200 - new or used.