Hi again Christine!

Smart idea contacting Terry! They are so nice and helpful, aren't they? I have always gotten wonderful service from them, and it sounds like they gave you some great advice. And yes, they do let you order a bike from their site through your local Terry dealer with no obligation to buy, which is a great deal!

As for ordering a demo, what I did is email Terry and tell them that I wanted to buy an Isis demo in the 17.5" size, and they told me that I would need to go through my local Terry dealer, who would order it for me. I printed out the page on the Terry site with the bike (and price) I wanted and took it right to the bike shop. They ordered it, assembled it, and yes, they did honor the sale price (I am sure they must get a dealer discount, so that is their profit). They added the shipping fee of about $25, plus tax. So, it couldn't have been easier!

Glad the top tube seems fine on the 16" Classic, now you just have to figure out standover!

Shoes...I am not sure about getting them in wide width as I have normal width feet (I wear Lake shoes - got them on sale for $39.99 at Performance), but I would definitely recommend cycling shoes, not tennis shoes. You need the really stiff soles of a bike shoe to deliver power to the pedal. Terry makes a pedal that is only $50 and has a clip on one side for cleated shoes and a regular side on the other side for non-cleated shoes. That would seem to be a really good option for you. You can see the pedals right on the web site, and your local bike shop can order them, or you can order them directly after you have the bike.

The road bike shoes with outside cleats are the ones that give you the most added height. They are a bit harder to walk in, though. Mountain bike shoes with recessed cleats add some too, but not quite as much; however, they are easier to walk in.

You can also buy non-cleat (but stiff soled) regular bike shoes and wear those with toe clips and straps. You might feel most comfortable starting out with those (that's what I started with years ago). They won't add more height than your tennis shoes, though.

With any shoes, I would definitely recommend trying them on at bike stores before you buy. I would not order them online b/c sizes vary incredibly between manufacturers, and many are sized with European sizing, so you have no idea til you try them on exactly which size to get! So, you might be limited to stock on hand, which stinks when you have an odd-sized foot.

I hope I've answered most of your questions. I expect you'll get more good feedback on shoes/cleats etc. on your other thread, and your bike shop(s) can help there too.

Keep me posted! I am really excited that the Terry Classic might work out for you - that would be great! Will the original shop take back the Marin if you decide you'd rather have a Classic?

Emily