road bikes, questions??

[Body2Big]

OK guys and gals I ride the Iron Horse FS mountain bike. A lot of the time I cannot get to the trails and so I don't ride. I have been thinking of getting a road bike since I can just go whenever I want right from my house.

So for the questions

Bike fit on a road bike? I am 5'10" tall but I have a short inseem. My Trek hardtail has a 29.1" standover and its a close call. I have no room for error :o

I noticed that a lot of road bikes have different standover for the same size so 52cm in one model is as tall as a 56cm in another?

Quality vs price? new or used? aluminum or steel? these are the questions I need help with too. I don't have much cash I just sold my Trek on ebay can I get a sub 500 bike?

I don't care about the weight I am not ever going to race just ride to try and get in better condition for the mountain bike. I see bikes at the LBS for 400 - 500 are these ok to start with if I really get into the road ride then I commit more money when I can.
Thanks
Shawn

[bdee]

Try looking at some used 'cross bikes by Redline or Kona. Road bike review (an MTBR affiliate site) or Ebay are great places to start looking. Go to a shop and test ride some different size frames. Road/'cross bike sizing can be tough, especially with the newer road frames with sloping top tubes throwing a curve ball at traditional sizing and fit. For an example of the difference between road and cross bike sizing - I'm 5'11 and have a 32 pant inseam and about a 33" actual inseam. I'm riding a 59cm Schwinn Peloton and a 56cm Lemond 'cross bike.

Colorado Cyclist has a nice page that explains road bike fit and gives some good guidelines. Once you get a road bike you will want to set up your saddle height and the fore/aft position correctly so you don't run into any knee issues down the road. Stem length and height, as well as cleat adjustment are key also. The guidelines can give you a good starting point and you can adjust (in small increments) from there. If you buy from a shop spring for a proper fit (not the 5 second, on the shop floor fitting). If the shop has a fit kit it's a fairly quick process and worth the time and small investment. Road riding is an awesome way to gain fitness and add some variety to your riding routine, and it doesn't beat on you as badly as always riding mtb does.

http://www.coloradocyclist.com/bikefit/