When do the 2011 models come out?

[tharley]

Dang it! I really loved the women's specific design and noticed all of the Specialized Elite models had handlebars with short reach/short drop and had the shifters under the break leavers (not the sides), which seemed to work very well for me. I am fairly tall @ 5'8", but men's bikes are too long, especially when reaching for the breaks/shifters. Anyone have ideas of comparable bikes cheaper than $1100? I have decided though it is not a main factor, I do like WSD drops. Also, what are the pros/cons of getting a road bike and road bike hybrid besides weight and tire widths?

[Blueberry]

I can't answer the question on comparable bikes....but you might want to look at cross bikes *if* you can find something with a short enough top tube (on most cross bikes, the top tube runs a size longer than the frame measure would indicate).

Drop bars will give you more hand positions, and riding in a road position will generally be more efficient than riding an more upright hybrid. Cross bikes can be a nice compromise - the road "geometry" with the ability to take fat tires should you want to ride gravel, etc. I think the difference in shifter you're seeing (under the brake versus out to the side) may be amongst the different levels of shimano shifters - but it's hard to say for sure without more info.

It really depends on what you want the bike for - what are you riding goals? Trails? In town? Country roads? How far do you want to go, and do you want to get there in a hurry?

[abejita]

Dang it! I really loved the women's specific design and noticed all of the Specialized Elite models had handlebars with short reach/short drop and had the shifters under the break leavers (not the sides), which seemed to work very well for me. I am fairly tall @ 5'8", but men's bikes are too long, especially when reaching for the breaks/shifters. Anyone have ideas of comparable bikes cheaper than $1100? I have decided though it is not a main factor, I do like WSD drops. Also, what are the pros/cons of getting a road bike and road bike hybrid besides weight and tire widths?

Try the Jamis Ventura Race Femme. It is about $1300, but comes with 105s. They do have two other versions of the ventura femme that are $600 and $800.

[Kiwi Stoker]

Specialized models *should" start arriving in the USA around late August/September. However they do only some models at a time (the larger runs tend to be released first, so the lower end bikes). Normally the high end bikes are about the last to arrive. They come out in a process until November.

Timings are affected by component availability, factory capacity, order quantities from around the world- hence the reason the bike shop hedges it's bets and probably won't tell you.

I do have to agree that the last two years 2009 and 2010 were short runs on bikes due to the recession.

I would look out for anyone selling secondhand as well- you woulldn't believe how many people go out and buy a quite an expensive bike and then only ridce it a few times OR get pregnant and decide they don't want to ride/could use the money for the baby.

[tulip]

If I remember correctly, you just got a new bike, right? And you're having trouble balancing and getting going? I suggest getting more comfortable on the bike you have before upgrading to a nicer bike. Just my opinion.

[kermit]

Have you checked ebay?