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Originally Posted by squeeeb
the MOST important thing about buying a bike is fit. if you are not going to race and just want a bike to ride for pleasure, brand's aren't really important. they are all about the same. the biggest concern is fit. if you get a 3,000 bike that doesn't fit, it's useless. go to a local bicycle shop, tell them you want a road bike for riding a few hours for pleasure, and they will help you. try different brands of bikes in your price range, they will be the same size, but the geometry may be a bit different. keep trying bikes until you get the bike that you are most comfortable on.
do not buy a bike from a place that is not a bike shop. bike shops build the bike correctly, when you buy from them they usually offer 1 year warranty or so, you meet the local bikers in your community, and they will help you when you need it. if you go to a bike shop and they are jerks, go to another one.
as for brands of bikes...trek, specialized, giant, cannondale, all offer decent entry level bikes that will last. todays bottom line bikes were the top of the line bikes 5 years ago. a decent entry level bike will run about US $800. if you go for a $1,000, you will have a bike that will last you the rest of your life, unless you start racing or doing super long tours, and even then it will last at least 10 years. that's $100 a year for fun and health.
good luck, let us know what you do. and keep asking questions if you have them.
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I bought my entry-level Trek hybrid for about $300, and then spent about another $100 getting it kitted out with lights, fenders, rack, lock, and cyclocomputer. Not only is it a cute bike (thank you, Trek, for women's specific design), but it just rides so wonderfully. It is the perfect bike for me, and I use it as my primary mode of transportation.
But I wouldn't know any of these things if I hadn't gone to the bike shop, and talked to the guys there. I had pretty much made up my mind that I wanted a Trek, because my SO has a Trek that he loves (coincidentally, we own the same model bike...mine is the women's version). I'm fairly sure in another couple years I'll buy a better bike, because I love cycling so much. Every week I ride more, and love it more. Plus, because I am a taller woman, bike fit was very important, and the bike shop helped with that as well.
So if your hand-me-down Motobecane doesn't work out (I hope it does, old bikes are awesome)...find a good bike shop where you feel comfortable talking to the guys about your wants/needs in a bike. If it does work out--you're going to want a cyclocomputer. I have a Cateye wireless cyclocomputer and it's great--I can see just how far, how fast, and how long I've been cycling.
I am rapidly becoming a bike nerd.