Pooks, you mentioned the different shifters -- I LOVE my new shifters! The Comfort-Beast has handlebar twisty shifters, and they weren't awful, but the new little lever gizmos on my new bike, oh boy, they're nice! push the little lever for a smaller cog, the big lever for a bigger cog -- couldn't be more intuitive, and talk about smooth! (and then just squeeze 'em toward the bars for stop...)

Karen in Boise