Hi,
I am experiencing the typical newbie bike selection dilemma; any help y'all can give would be greatly appreciated

I've never had a road bike and I've been riding my 2001 Specialized Expedition w/a suspension fork & a triple up to 35 miles this summer (and its killing me because its heavy and takes forever). Usually I go out 2-3 nights during the week for an hour and then 1 or 2 longer weekend rides. Also, thank the lord for granny gear or I'd be doing a lot of walking in our rolling hills (Virginia, Shenandoah foothills mostly small but still high heart rate inducing on Mr Hybrid. I'm improving but still on a steep grade I'm going to easiest or second easiest granny. I even got my fat nobby tires replaced so I can keep up w/my friend on her Novara Buzz, but I still only average 13 mph and its serious work.

So, the reason I've been riding so much is my friend won a bike trip to Italy this fall and wants to do some long rides after she gets back so we've been "training" so I can stay on par with her. I'm 43 and doing a life sentence in a government job (eg ball of stress w/tight hamstrings). She's 30 and a yoga freak so this is something of a challenge even though I weigh about 10 lbs less than she does; she is taller too. Also, I used to weigh 100 lbs more than I do now (hence Mr Hybrid w/suspension to haul me around). Only over the past year have I been exercising this liberally. I started as a way to get in better shape for horseback riding and am pretty happy with how my legs are turning out but this is really a high point in my adult life exercise-wise (go me. Yes 13 miles per hour is my high point; I realize how ridiculous that sounds.

Anyway, realistically its probably too soon to know if this will be a major avocation or just a summertime fitness thing but I've also been jogging and swimming too. If I ever do get to doing something wacky like a triathlon its not going to be to win; it will be to have a midlife crisis-oops I mean have fun/not come in DFL. In otherwords odds are slim that this time next year I'll be wanting a tri bike or some supersonic s-works customized monogrammed bike w/ aerobats and a built in wine cellar. But if this next purchase could last me 5 years I'd be pleased.

So, I've been looking at normal road bikes all summer but its been hard to find something that feels right. Generaly if the top tube fits my knees are practically in my face/I can't get the seat high enough or if I do get it high enough its higher than my handlebars and my neck hurts. Mr Hybrid has the same issue and my wrists are a bit sore from riding him. If I try a bigger frame it feels good except in my lats. They feel like I'm stretching. Is that something you get used to? Weirdly after a week of swimming I had to drop my stirrups on the horse I ride so I literally loosened up some in the hip flexors from swimming; I'm not sure if the same may happen with the bike riding once I get on the road bike or if its more likely that if its stretching me now it will be killing me in a week.

Anyways I've tried & rejected a lot of bikes (Amira, Pinarello, Orbea, Cannondale, Kuota Karma-very cute) but have narrowed it down to

A size 51 2010 full carbon Ruby Elite w/compact w/Shimano 105 from a LBS (@2200 I think but may be on sale) slightly out of my way on the way home from work in black w/Pink but I don't know if I can handle the compact (Pedals extra) and also am not sure about the 51 inch. I get the impression this is the LAST Ruby Elite in Black and Pink in our Nation's capital. Apparently it was Tres popular. So I'm 5'4" w/very short torso/long legs. It seems a smidge small in that my legs aren't completely extended. Nobody I've talked to so far has a 54. Apparently Specialized sold out of them.

For about $600 less (includes pedals) there's a size 51 inch 2011 Dolce w/ the new SRAM apex which has even wider gearing but is still a compact 10 speed. I find the SRAM a bit easier to use than the Shimano (double click means you only have to click in 1 direction click twice for easier, once for harder) but the frame is aluminum (Carbon fork) and white w/lime green (a less favored color scheme though I could girly it up some adding pink handlebar tape). It is from a definitely out of my way bike shop but with REALLY NICE people (but you have to pay for parking; but I got parking for free today since the attendant said I was cute ) But seriously we are talking a trip on the DC Beltway to get the bike worked on unless I shamelessly take it to my really local LBS who sells specialized but wants me to buy a Pinarello which my husband has already said "no way" to and sadly he is probably right. But consequently I feel like an idiot when I go in there even though they are less than a mile from my house. I will always be the girl who didn't get the pinarello to them.

Or I could wait until late October to get the new 2011 Ruby w/SRAM Apex in what appears to be an even cuter black and pink color scheme for about $2000 according to specialized website (pedals extra) from any of the specialized dealers nearby including Mr Pinarello (if I can stand the humiliation). The SRAM Apex seemed nice on the Dolce and having a wider gear option is appealing since I suck w/the hills but wouldn't have to get a triple. It retails for $2000 (pedals extra). I'm just not sure there's that much of a difference between this and the aluminum Dolce (aside from the color and possibly durability which for me; I'm somewhat accident prone having aluminum in some ways has some appeal because if there's a gal who could break a carbon bike by letting it fall off her car, I would be that girl). But also this is specialized lowest grade carbon so again will it make a difference. Also I'm having bike lust NOW but I can wait if I have to!

Or I could do the mega splurge on a 2010 Trek Madone 5.1 w/ultegra on sale for $2600 at the LBS up the street from my office that is uber convenient but the sales guy is kind of a dork. (pedals extra).

I rode the Madone ( a 52) and wasn't sure if it was too big. A guy at another shop said I needed a shorter stem on that size Madone (which I didn't buy because I wasn't sure if switching the stem would be weird and I really didn't like the 4.5 color scheme. So the guy at this shop is just a total dork (I guess they have other guys but the guy who wants to help me probably can ride a bike but helping isn't exactly his strength). But it was splendidly smooth. Also it has compact Ultegra and I feel very confident that the ultegra will shift reliably. But then again can I handle the compact??? On the plus side the carbon on the 2010 is their 2nd highest grade and for the 2011 they aren't using that high quality of carbon on the 5 series Madone so its almost a built in bargain (maybe; do women need high grade carbon? Is it just to make it smoother and lighter or does it also make it stiffer-ugg so confusing!!)

The Madone is a proper (boring) dark and light blue color scheme but at least it won't clash with anything or get that dirty. If I didn't live 50 miles from work I could commute on it in my pinstripe suit

So I rode the dolce today and the SRAM apex seemed smooth and manageable on the hills; as good as 105s I've ridden but maybe not as great as the Ultegra. & I wasn't sure if it was too small (my legs seemed very bent in the upstroke) so they're getting me a 53 to try (that sounds huge; 53 on Orbea was WAY TOO BIG).

Provided the 53 works, I am agonizing over whether I'll regret the aluminum and want a carbon bike right away if I get the Dolce.

I already feel my hips yelling on a regular basis between the horse and the desk job. At my age do I need the smoothness and light weight of the high quality carbon? Does it make that much difference?

And is it likely the Madone can be made to fit?

On the dolce I notice my thighs are basically parallel to the ground on the upstroke and my legs are definitely not extended on the downstroke-I have a pronounced bend not a slight bend. I rode the 48 at one bike shop and it was even worse. I thought I would fly over the handlebars. Like I wasn't balanced and too much of me was over the front tire. But on the 51 dolce my seat is even with the handlebars but I definitely had some pressure on my hands and if it went up more my legs might be appropriately extended but my seat would be higher up too (recipe for disaster). They (nice bike shop folks) gave me a super test ride opportunity so I feel like I really got a feel for how the dolce would be (and the ruby has the same geometry too so how it would be except maybe with less vibration?).

So I know nobody knows if the Trek's Ultegra is going to be tons more reliable than the SRAM Apex since the SRAM is new but I drop/jam my chain on my hybrid constantly and it scares the bejeezus out of me whenever it happens on a hill since I wrecked on a hill last fall (ran out of juice, toppled over and broke my helmet and wondered all day if I was going to not wake up the next day).

I would spring for the ultegra on the Trek if I thought it was the best choice or even wait for the more expensive Ruby in the fall w/Ultegra even if I can't have the wider gearing and the black and pink color scheme if its likely to be at all a problem w/the SRAM. Reviews on line seem to indicate 105 are just as reliable as Ultegra so kinda hoping that the same will be true for SRAM. Also I had hopes the SRAM might be both economical and better (for me) than the ultragra since it has more gears.

Also I'm wondering how easy/costly it is to switch out the gears if the compact is just is too hard and I need my granny gear back?

OK so sorry this is so long. I just don't want to make a $1400/2000/2600 mistake! If I thought it would be easy to sell the Dolce if I didn't like it or if I really thought I needed carbon, I'd probably just give it a whirl but I don't know about that either. Plus it is highly likely I will scratch the bike w/in minutes of first owning it so not uber optimistic about resale prospects.

OK many thanks in advance for your patience. Any feedback would be awesome.

At the end of the day I want something comfortable to ride a lot that will give me peace of mind & confidence. If I look cute enough on it to get free parking or cool enough to have bike group cred that'll be a bonus but mainly I'm trying to avoid a heart attack, heat stroke, or head injury.

If I didn't have to wait I'd probably want the new Specialized Ruby elite w/apex Sram

If the 53 doesn't fit I'd probably just get the old Ruby in the pink unless the SRAM would help tons and the aluminum wouldn't give me buyers remorse

If the SRAM is just too iffy maybe the trek cause its a better position and smoother and more convenient even if the salesdude is a weenie?

Alright shutting up now!!!

Seal