ACG .... you go, girlfriend! Get the bike of your dreams ... as soon as you figure out what that is. I say do your research and try different bikes.

Dh recently gave me a lesson about aluminum verses carbon. What's different about them, why some people like one and some people like the other or a combination of the two. Educate yourself on all this if you haven't already. I have a Cannondale CAAD9. It's not WS. Since I'm 5'9", that wasn't really an issue. It's an aluminum frame with carbon fork and seat posts. My dh and the LBS guy came up with it, based largely on the great deal the LBS guy could get on the frame itself, and then they put all dh's Dura Ace components on it (cause dh got a newer bike). If I bought that bike with everything on it brand new, without the super sweet deal we got, it would have been in your price range.

I love my bike and have absolutely no complaints, but I really don't have anything to compare her to since she is my first. If I were looking into a new bike, I'd research, research, research and try as many as I could.

I guess you've got a good start from all the bike names you've already gotten from this thread.

Hey, where are you in California? We buy from Don's Bikes in Rialto. A little bit of a drive, but so worth it. They have always given us really great deals and are good with helping dh research bikes and figure out what is the best bike for him, or a friend or whatever. Scott is the owner and will give you great advice.

If you decide to go there, let me know and I'll tell them to take care of you, not that they wouldn't anyhow, but they give extra deals to our friends because we have spent so much money there and sent them a lot of business.