starter lens for Canon Eos 20D?

[pbr]

I've decided the time has come for me to stepup with a prosumer SLR, and have chosen the Canon Eos 20D as my weapon of choice.

Now I'm debating the Lens question. I'm killing my budget with the purchase of the camera as it is, and am considering the kit lens. (EF-S 18-55mm)

Does anyone know of any other options that won't max my credit card? I'm going to be mainly shooting sports photography(Downhill/freeride mountain biking) I may have to just rough it out with the kit lens for now, as all the options I'm interested in are several hundred bucks.

Thanks!

[mjs1973]

Sorry I don't have any suggestions for you, but I can say that I think the EF-S 18-55mm lens is a pretty good lens for $100. I have it with my DRebel, and it has proven to be quite the workhorse for me. If sports is your main subject matter, you might want to step up to something with a little more reach, and a little more speed tho. As for general shooting, the EF-S 18-55mm is well worth the price.

[paulnj]

FIRST let me state that in consumer lenses one example can be GREAT, while some can be PURE GARBAGE.

The one and only 18-55 I shot was only good for a paper weight IMHO. That doesn't mean all are, but I am sure that the example I shot wasn't the only junker.

Not being a bike race guy, I wonder if you truely need the wide end of the 18-55? roughly 28mm perspective(on a film body) is quite wide. Will you be VERY close to your subject? Do you need a fast lens to keep shutter speed high ? Do you need shallow depth of field to rid your images of background clutter? Do you want IS .....................

Maybe a 28-70 F2.8(sigma / tokina) lens will suit you better? Or a 28-125IS?

I own the tokina 28-70 atx sv and while it isn't a good as a CANON 26-70L, it is $1000 cheaper and has WAY more bang for the buck in MY budget