Quote Originally Posted by aicabsolut View Post
Have you considered trying non-WSD bikes?

I've personally found that my arms and shoulders are sore when my reach is too short (too squished in and not sitting properly), and that my lower back and neck gets stiff when the reach is too long (too bent over, too hard to look up where I'm going).
I have considered non-WSD bikes, as apparently I don't have the typical WSD short-arm, long-leg build. (Instead, buying a road bike has helped me realize that I'm built more like a little monkey-woman. Oh well). I do have tiny hands, but from what I understand, short reach brakes aren't necessary as all brakes are easy to shim. Does that sound correct? The problem has been that all of the shops in my town seem to have stopped stocking the sub-50cm men's bikes, since the WSDs have been working fine for most women, and they have a tough time moving those little men's bikes.

So it sounds as if the arm soreness may have been due to a cramped reach or the uncomfortable saddle or possibly both, but definitely not something I should expect to experience. It's too bad--I really enjoyed the vibe at the Jamis shop and would love to buy a bike from them, but what they're offering may not be the best fit for me.

Also, thanks to everyone on the commute advice! I will be able to lock my bike in a limited access area, already have a race blade fender for my MTB, already ride with a messenger bag or backpack, and am not worried about the skinny tires. Basically I just want to get to work faster, so it sounds as if it would be reasonable to commute on a road bike.

Additionally, I really do want a bike that I can push to go fast and hard. I have taken the MTB both with and without slicks on 30 mile road rides (which I know isn't THAT long) and was truly amazed to discover that I'm not slow on that thing, even compared to some friends with road bikes. Biking is fun for me, and I'm excited to see how fast and far I can go with a good bike. I should just accept that I need to spend more money than I originally thought!