Bike recommendations

[TXnewbie]

Thanks. I never dreamed that I would make it that far, but it was so much fun! I rode with a team from work (who talked me into doing the ride) They were all very encouraging. The biggest problem that I had was the pain in my tailbone. I think that the seat is too wide??? It really hurt to lift off the seat after about 15 miles each day. I might be able to just change the seat out, but I also didn't feel like I was getting enough power on the hills. Plus, it is kind of embarassing to go so slow. I would like to get a road bike, but I am very short (5 ft 0 inches.) My current bike is a 14". Are there any reasonably priced rode bikes for short people?

[Geonz]

"Comfort" style bikes are, ironically, not too comfortable in the long haul! You're sitting down too much...
I've got a hybrid that cost me $400 over ten years ago that I"ve put quite a few miles on - though I changed to skinny tires early in the game, which bumped my cruising speed up 2 mph with the same effort. I got another 2-3 mph when I went to my Trek 7500FX 2002 model (or mabe 2001) which is a lot lighter but I don't have to figure out how to ride a road bike which made me very consistently *cranky* when I tried it before. (Same crankiness happened when we got to sitting poses in yoga. SOmething about back muscles I'm lacking, I think.) That cost me hmmm... $700? Under that. With that bike I can ride with anybody I want to and keep up (though it helps that I ride a LOT, of course!!)
When I think about bikes I think of them as being like furniture. If you wnat something with good pieces parts that's built to last, you get a good one and pay for it... and build a relationship with the bike shop (the folks at mine really love cycling and bicycles and it shows; they see this stuff as a passion, not just a way to bring in dollars).