Today I tried a Giant Cypress and a Fuji crosstown 3.0. Unfortunately, they only had the women's style in my size, and I just feel too closed in on those. I liked the Giant better, but still not as well as I liked the Trek 7000. Of course, I only rode the trek on the trainer in the store. But it felt right- like when I get on my downtube bike, I just feel like riding. I'm not sure if what I like is just what I'm used to, though, I don't have enough experience to know. I felt like both the giant and the fuji were too upright. The shop gives you one year of free tune ups, and you can buy a lifetime program for $69.00.
None of the shops that carry trek have carried the 7000 up here, just the 7100 and up. I've been going round and round with this- I've looked at the comparison of the 7000, 7100, and 7200, but is the difference enough to warrant going up to a 7200 from a 7000?
I can get the 7000 from the bike shop about an hour away (rte 66 bikes), they've got it in stock, in my size. I need to find out what service they provide after the sale.
The place that has the 7200 in stock in my size, is the one that does a fitting before purchase, and provides free maintenance for lifetime after (you pay for parts, not labor), plus 10% off stuff in the store. I need to actually take the 7200 out and ride it though. If I get it, there won't be enough left to buy fenders and have them put on, so that will have to wait. I still need to ride the kona, and could check out the bikes at an REI in town.
The shop I went to today also carries recumbents and the rans crank forward bikes, but I resisted giving them a try.