Well, here in Texas, I bought a Trek 1000 for $699.

Yes, a bit over your price range... but it's a very nice entry level bike.... maybe you can do a search on the Internet to learn more about it?

I really love it... even though it was the cheapest road bike in the store!

Finally... if you are buying a used bike... keep in mind that you need to be fitted to the bike and ensure that you are buying the right size.

I tried the used bike route, but it was very hard for me to find my size, in a used bike. And honestly... most of the used bikes were going to cost the same or more... as my TREK.

Best of luck!