My experience is different. I started out on a Trek 830 from 1995. I was so slow on it and had no strength to get up hills. I went to a bike shop and they tried to steer me to a Trek Lexa - was not at all comfortable on it. Reminded me of a broomstick (lol). I am very very stocky and have very short legs and a long torso - WS Bikes are not made for a woman built like me. What I needed was a Man's bike - just a small one. I did end up with the Specialized Vita (53 cm or Large) and used that for 6 months with some alterations (bar ends etc). I finally bought my Specialized Roubaix Expert 52cm in June - LOVE is all I can say. It was built specifically for my body. It's sturdy and it feels great on a long ride (50+miles). My advice is - if you have a long torso - go with a man's bike in a smaller size.