Newbie with Sore Shoulders

[Flur]

I just got serious about biking but I only own a Specialized RockHopper mtb. Yesterday I rented a Dolce and it was the 1st time I used a road bike. The handlebars were not comfortable to me and I'm not sure if it's because of my inexperience. The upper "knobs" are shaped funny so that they dig into the webbing between your thumb and pointer finger. I could not find a comfortable place to put my hands except the down bars. Resting them on top on the flat part made my shoulders hurt, it felt too narrow (my shoulders are 16" wide).

I liked the bike except for the handlebars and shifting set up. However, I think the shifting will be similar on most road bikes. I am gonna ride a lot of bikes before I buy my 1st road bike (under $1000).

You are correct, the brake/shifters that are on the Dolce are Shimano and are on most road bikes sold today. However, you do have options. You should try a bike that has Campagnolo components, and one that has SRAM components, as the brifters are shaped differently and may be more comfortable for you. You could also try bikes with bar-end shifters. As components can be swapped out, once you find the right frame fit you could possibly change up the brake/shifter set up if it comes with Shimano brifters. NOTE: depending on what you like and what's on the bike this can be affordable (changing to bar-ends) or really expensive (building up a frame entirely with higher-end Campy). Talk to your LBS and ask about your options.