I've been mountain biking for about a year now and thought I would enjoy some road biking as well. I really want a very entry level priced bike. I expect to upgrade sometime after 2-3 years. I expect to ride 1-2 times a week between mtb'ing. I'm 6"1 250 lbs so I need something sturdy. What do you recommend. I'm looking at getting an Ibex Classic 3300 or an Aprisa 4500. Would these bikes last and would they serve their purpose? I'm not looking to do even 100 miles/week on this bike. I also looked at some motobecane bikes like the Grand Record or Mirage Pro. Please help me out...... also can someone give me the level of components in ft. ders. and rear ders. I know the mtb levels in SRAM and Shim. but road bike stuff is foreign to me. P.S. my local shops sell Giant, Specialized, Trek, Cannondale, Kona, Jamis, Gary Fisher, Felt, Raleigh, Diamondback....I think thats it.
Thanks
Jon

Start with your local shops. Find one that is willing spend some time with you to get a good fit. It's closout season so you should be able to find a good deal comparable to the ibex aprisa 4500. Trek 1000, Specialized Allez, and Felt all make similarly equiped bikes that should be on sale for around $600 right now.

Shimano components that you will see on these bikes are sora, tiagra, 105, low to high. I just bought a felt z80 for $700. It has tiagra and 105 components and clipless pedals. I chose the Felt for the geometry. It was very comfortable and a good transition for a mtn biker. Giant and Specialized allez use a similar sloped top tube/compact geometry. It is just a personal preference. ride a few and compare.

I can't imagine buying online for a first bike without riding to get a feel for the frame geometry. Some people prefer this, but I would be to nervous to spend $600 on a bike that might not fit well. Yes, you can save some money especially with Motobecane. But what if you need a new stem(smaller or larger) or different adjustments. Can they do that over the internet?

I weighed 235 when I got my Felt F60. It is aluminum with carbon fork, seatstays, and seat post. No problems. Aluminum or aluminum/carbon should be fine, just don't go for a super lightweight bike.

As far as components go for Shimano it will be from low to high, Sora, Tiagra, 105, Ultegra = XT, and then Dura Ace = XTR. Giant always has a good mix of components out of the box. More bang for the buck. The biggest thing to look for with your size and I am 6'6" 260 lbs is a decent wheelset. I recommend soemthing with a higher rather than lower spoke count for strength. Any of the bikes that your LBS has though from what you posted should do well for you. Just make sure the fit is right and go with comfort. MTB and road bikes are completely different in the fit department. Good Luck.