I had an entry level bike and I don't see the problem with it. Okay, the bike lust got me and it sucked to wait to upgrade. It is also meant when I upgraded I could appreciate the better shifting and handling.

I had a Fuji Finest WSD and it was a pretty good bike for only $600. My only complaint is it had an aluminum fork and that makes for a rougher ride. The bike itself was steel and that helped a lot. Otherwise, she stood up to over 4,000 miles with only tune ups, new chain and new tires.