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The actual best-value road bike is this:
$400 hand built wheelset
$75/ea awesome tires (clinchers)
$150 used steel bike
$100 saddle
and
prepare yourself
$50 bar end shifters
Everything else... # of gears, gear ratios, cranks, brake type, etc --- all bullshit
That's the bike that lasts the rest of your life for about $850 ($400 wheels, $150 tires, $150 used bike/frame/etc, $50 bar end shitters)