Avail 3 vs Scattante R-330

[Cataboo]

Other than aesthetic reasons, I have misgivings about the R-330, and I don't know why, because I should be getting "more bike for the money."
Could someone qualitatively explain what the differences between (at least, Giant's versions) women's frame and the "men's", and what can't be solved by tweaking things and swapping out parts?
I'm pretty sure this has been asked before, but how does one go about (roughly) determining frame size?
Are there other things I'm not considering?

One thing for you to consider is that Women's frames are built basically for women that have relatively long legs and relatively short torsos. If this is your body type, than you should be interested in a women's frame.... If it's not your body type, then you don't want a women's frame. I should basically never be riding a women's frame.

Women's frames will have shorter top tubes & shorter reaches because of this - men's frames will have longer top tubes. You can lengthen or shorten the reach on a bike by switching the stem for a different size. Handlebars come in different widths and reaches, that may also be something you would need to change to fit you.

I haven't looked up the giant avail, but Running Mommy is a dealer so she might be able to chime in with specifics. I don't know whether they use narrower or shallower reach handlebars for women.

A local bike shop may be willing to trade the stem, handlebars and such on the avail to fit you for free when selling you the bike - I have no idea whether or not performance does anything like that when selling a bike.

But in general, when you get the bike you're probably definitely going to eventually change the saddle for one that fits you.

As for what fits you with frame size - it really sort of depends on how you want to be riding (upright vs. more aero), and this is where hopefully your boyfriend's knowledgeable enough to help you - and the sales people at the local bike shop or at performance...

[Owlie]

At this point, more upright=better. I talked to the BF last night, and he did buy his current bike there (a Cannondale Somethingunbelievablyexpensive, when they still carried Cannondale), and he was quite happy with everything. I also managed to get into a conversation about bikes with my former chem prof (he had his bike in his office). He said he was quite happy with the customer service he got at the Performance store in town and with the bike he got. (Of course, he acknowledged that it might have been because the salesman was a student of his!) It sounds like customer service varies widely between stores.