I don't know if this is true for all beginners but for me and for many of my friends that I've helped with choosing their first road bikes, the main focus was on the frame and possibly the fork, ...
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... but the other components of the bike were secondary. This is exactly what this guide will attempt to show how important they are when considering buying a bike.
That being said, the frame plays a great deal of transferring the power from your legs to the rear wheel. For that purpose a stiff frame is very desirable. The cutting edge frames are made of carbon or titanium. Carbon frame is known for being very stiff, light and for offering more comfortable rides. However, carbon bikes are still expensive. So if you can't afford to buy a carbon-frame bike, there are still excellent aluminum-frame bikes out there for much cheaper - usually half price - than their carbon counterparts.
Before you start to ruin yourself on your super-light carbon bike, it is cheaper to lose weight ;-)
One of the most important thing in choosing a bike is to choose the bike that fits you. The worst thing you can do is to buy a wrong size bike because it's cheaper. You'd end up having difficulties to ride it and having it stored in your garage for years. Bike shops's professionals will be able to help you with picking up the good size and fitting the bike to you.
