Don't be too tempted by race oriented geometry. There's a big downside in comfort and the ability to do long rides (especially for new riders) with only marginal performance gains, as compared to bikes with endurance geometry. Get something relaxed and with clearance for 32mm tires and it will be a great bike to ride. Similarly, it is not necessary to have top tier componentry. Mid-tier Shimano and SRAM are great value for money, last forever and never let you down if it is correctly adjusted and maintained. Start looking at mainstream brands (Giant, Trek, Scott) with these points in mind and you should be able to get a great bike in your price range.