Hey there! I am excited that you are wanting to delve into the world of cycling. You probably aren't going to find a bike at the LBS (local bike shop) for 400-700 dollars. My advice to you is: Go to LBS and get fitted for a bike so you know what size frame you should be looking at, then get a used bike in good condition off craigslist, ebay, classifieds, or pawn shop, etc. That is what I did for my first bike, I bought a used Giant TCR that was 8 years old it was really in amazing condition. The guy was asking 500 for it and I "flirted" my way down to 350. It was such an awesome bike, I was so in love with it! Somebody stole it out of my garage this spring and I replaced it with a Specialized Tarmac. I know Giant, Specialized, Trek, Cannondale are all good bikes. I wouldn't max out your budget on the bike, you have NO IDEA how much all the accessories you need with cost. Save a little bit for the helmet, padded shorts, water bottles, shoes, jersey, etc. You don't have to get all that at once, but it does add up. I am sure in time you will be hooked and signing up for century rides! Good luck and welcome aboard!

Your LBS depends on repeat business, so they are unlikely to push you in a bad direction. Being an uninformed shopper probably won't be a detriment. They should 1) be careful to fit you to a particular bike size and 2) let you demo several bikes. If they don't do both, look for another shop. Be aware that you may not be the best judge of the proper size. At first the best bike position is not necessarily the most comfortable one.

Thanks everyone for the good advice. I stopped by my LBS and they did indeed allow me to try out several bikes. I haven't decided which bike I want yet but they still have some 2013 bikes and they are on sale this month to get them off the shelf. I am trying to decide if I want a Giant Cypress Hybrid or a Trek MB they are priced around $350-450. If I go with last years models this would leave me some room to purchase a few extras that dolcezza72 was talking about. Also they said they would do adjustments for free over the next year as the cables stretch and stuff. I am so excited...I just can't wait to get riding!!

super excited for you to get riding!!!! yay!!!

Be sure to take your bike in for cable stretching issues. Last month, I helped pick up a woman who went over her handlebars because her rear brakes were so loose. She was pretty cut up.

Also, if you have not bike in a long time, it might be worth finding someone to "teach you."

Enjoy. It was by biking that I lost 50 pounds. Now, it is time to get the other 20 off.

LBS is definitely the way to go to get informed. An alternative to a used bike is a site like www.bikesdirect.com (I am sure there are others, but this is the only one with which I am familiar). These are new bikes, very nice components, and off-brand frames (most frames are manufactured in the same place - China/Taiwan). At least this is what I did. Disclaimer - I have since upgraded / rebuilt my bike (which is powered by the drive train from my original bike.