Bike Purchase Suggestions
Hi gang, I have a friend who is looking for some help. She just assumed that since I am a triathlete that I gear chick as well. Sorry to disappoint everyone (hope I have not let the haus down), but I would not know a good bike from a bad bike (that is what I use my husband for). Anyway, she is on a weight loss journey and is doing very well and has picked some lofty goals this year, one being completing a 100km bike ride in September. She is on the look out for a bike, but is on a tight budget. She has found a 700.00 bike that is a Raleigh brand which she can get for 500.00
She is looking for a hybrid. Is this brand good???? 
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Comments
Your friend should most definitly ride some bikes - different styles - fitness hybrid and road. You really dont know until you ride stuff to find what works and what doesn't.
I would add that components are more important than frame in this price point. If she can take someone with her, or do some reading up ahead of time about component groupings, it will be very useful. It would be better to get a 1 - 2 year old bike with better components (perhaps a closeout from last season, or even a used bike) than this year's frame with worse components.
The reason I say this is that two years ago I bought a bike for an around-town cruiser, to replace my old sturdy Rock Hopper with street tires that I have been using for years. The Rock Hopper was over 15 years old but had an excellent component grouping. The new bike had a SunTour grouping. On the new bike, the chain kept jumping off and I had no end of derailleur problems. Eventually, I had an epic chain failure where the chain jammed in the derailleur and locked the rear wheel up, with the net result that I catapulted over the bars and broke my arm. If I'd been riding my ancient, heavy, but well-componented Rock Hopper this probably wouldn't have happened.
Luckily, my son outgrew the Rock Hopper and I got it back. It's now on 17 years of steady service, well worth every penny I paid for it.