This past weekend was my second time participating in a group ride with Carol at Giant. The first weekend was really just a lesson in gears and basic safety and road rules. I actually just borrowed a friend's mountain bike for that class and luckily most of it took place in a nearby parking lot. This past weekend I rented a road bike and we met at the shop at 6 a.m. You can find the meetup information on Meetup.com. It's broken into two groups, beginners and intermediate. My friend, Jennifer L., and I road with Carol and it was just the two of us. She's a great teacher and very patient and full of information.
I knew after the first ride that I was hooked and Carol showed me a couple of entry level bikes that would fit my needs. Since I am new to the cycling world I can't speak too much on pricing, but as far as beginner bikes and having looked around in the last couple of weeks, Giant's pricing was much less in comparison to a couple of other stores I went to. They also offer financing with no interest deals. Obviously, they carry all the necessary gear and accessories as well. No matter what part of the valley you are in this store is worth checking out!