WTB: Road bike for $700-ish

You can get an new entry level bike for that kind of money.  Granted it won't have the component levels you're looking for but you'll have the support of the bike shop if anything goes wrong.  You'll also know exactly what's happened to it previous to purchase because it will be new.  I definitely understand that you'd like better components but if he's been riding a mountain bike, I would say that just switching to any kind of road bike would be a huge improvement.  Anyway, I'd recommend checking out some of your local shops too.  Not sure what the cycle is like in SoCal but in MA, the shops are starting their end of the season sales because the new models are starting to come in.  Might be able to find a good deal on a brand new bike.  Just my .02.  Good luck in your century!

At 5'11 he is likely to closer to a 56 then 58 to 62 but should get looked at by a local bike shop.

what i did.......and fully recommend if your on a budget.

i went to a local reputable bike shop, said i was in the market for a road bike, and had them fit me to a few.  took what info i could use and started shopping craigslist.  obviously this won't work for everyone, but i was in the DC suburbs so we have a TON of bikes for sale locally.  after looking for only about a week i found a great bike, 1 year old, probably hadn't been ridden 10 times, kept in his house and i mean perfect as new shape.  sold for $1800 in '07 and i bought it last year in '08 for $500.

like i said, its perfect if you live near a large city and you are on a budget, especially in this economy.  i didn't want to drop $2500 on a bike when i wasn't sure what i wanted or what i needed (or if i'd even use it that much).......look into it.

Thanks for the advice!  Been checking on craigslist around this area to watch for good deals...  There was one Giant TCR for an excellent price, but it sold already...

I'm pretty sure my brother would prefer a used bike with better components than a new one with cheaper gear, but I'll ask him.

I'm 5'11" and have a 56cm Trek 1.2 that I'll be selling soon. I only used it for a season and it is in pretty good shape. When is your century?