With all of the options out there, buying a bike has become like buying a car. You really do have to do some research and shop around. I feel fortunate that I love the bike I bought this year, and the guys at Hudson Trail Outfitters (Gaithersburg, MD) were great in advising me on sizing. I was concerned about the top tube being higher than I was used to, but they watched me ride the bike and assured me that it would be fine. Then I was told to ride it for a month or so and then come back for a fitting. If the shop had a Serotta fit system, it would have been an even better experience. I've since had a Serotta fitting at another shop and feel that I made a good, albeit over-eager, choice.

Since then, though, I have to admit to having moments of anxiety about having bought the first bike I tested. Other shops I went to either didn't know what they had, or just stood and talked to me about bikes. HTO was the first place I went where they pulled the bike down and said "Go ride it". Smart guys-- of course putting it in my hands made me fall in love with it. If I had done more research and insisted on test rides at other shops, I may have ended up with the same bike, but I wouldn't have had any second thoughts about my decision.

I'm glad things worked out in the end for Toni, but sorry that her situation was so difficult. Anyone considering a new bike who hasn't already been through the process should definitely read this thread.