$1700 budget, tall(er) gal...what to buy?

[KnottedYet]

I'm 5'8". I still have a woman's proportions, even though I'm as tall as a small man.

Did the bike shops even let you try some of the "women's" bikes? I was under the impression that most WSD came in sizes that would fit women even taller than you and I. Does the bike shop just not carry any that tall?

If you can't get ahold of a WSD in your size, maybe try a couple bikes with cyclocross geometry? It tends to be friendly to a woman's legs/arms/torso proportions. Both my bikes (utility and road) have cyclocross geometry.

Frame material is often a matter of personal taste. I prefer steel. My lugged steel bike weighs 21.5 lbs, which really isn't bad. (it's less than my aluminum bike). If you can, take bikes of each material that appeals to you out for a longish ride. (make sure each bike fits you first!) Go back and re-ride them until you feel there is a definite winner. You can change components and adjust fit, but you can't change the frame material!