[bgyglfr]

Go to a local bike shop. All of the box store bikes are crap! They might say schwinn or Giant but they are watered down with cheap components. Plus a bike shop will do a proper fitting and help you make an educated decision. That is more important than what brand you buy. If the first shop doesn't seem to be helpful, go to another until you find someone knowledgeable. Any of the respectable brands will do fine (Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, etc.). You should be able to get what you need for a lot less than $1000. I just bought my wife a nice aluminum frame Cannondale for $450 this summer. By the way, Cannondale is the last major manufacturer making frames in the US. Typically, spending more money moves you up in components. The frames will all be pretty solid.