Hello all! I recently bought a cheap department store road bike and rode it around as a form of commuting. I then realized that a few of my friends bike and ride for leisure/fitness so I began hanging out with them and learning what the hype's all about. After lurking through many forums, I've decided that I'll dedicate a portion this summer to try out cycling and get into better shape.

I managed to buy this 2010 Fuji SL1 RC frameset from eBay for a steal of a price at $400 plus shipping:



Now I'm looking to complete the bike and need all the help I can get. I'd really like to limit myself to a humble set of components since I don't want to amass lots of debt as a student entering university this Fall. (Although, if there are some sweet deals on higher end stuff... I'll be obliged to bite! ).

Any tips and advice for a new cyclist? Advice on components and training are equally appreciated. Thanks!

Hi there. For general advice I'd suggest just browsing around both in the road and training section.

If you are new to cycling I'd suggest not going too deep out of pocket on any fit related parts like stem, bar, seatpost, saddle and pedals, as you might find you don't really like them, not because a certain part is not good, but it might not be the right part for you.

I'd suggest you just come up with a build list and post it here and people will be able to comment a lot easier.

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"Nothing compares to the simple pleasures of a bike ride," said John F. Kennedy, a man who had the pleasure of Marilyn Monroe.

That is a not a bad pick up for your first road bike.

You could look at either Campy Centaur, Shimano 105 or Sram Rival for your groupset, they are all about the same price, some of it will come down to which brands ergonomics you prefer.

Agree with the previous advice, you will probably end up trying a couple different contact points before you find what you like.

Wheels will probably be dictated by what sort of road surfaces you ride and how much your willing to spend.

Good luck and enjoy your new ride.

Lightly used components, chosen with patience, can get you great results, relatively light weight, and half retail price. All of my bikes have been built this way, I couldn't afford them otherwise! The biggest decision you've got to make is shifter ergonomics, ie. Campag vs Shimano vs SRAM. I'm guessing that electronic shifting is out of your budget. This is a good opportunity to buy some decent tools too, they will pay for themselves over time, and help you enjoy the bike experience just as much as the other bits.