Quote Originally Posted by Caddy View Post
Test ride a lot and talk to the bike shop people extensively. There is such a huge difference in what they know and how they treat you.

Don't buy used unless you have a very good idea of geometry and fit - I unfortunately did that with my first bike and my shoulder pain from being stretched out doesn't show up until 30 minutes into the ride.

I'll tell you next week how my hopefully "perfect" cyclocross bike feels (Specialized Crux). I did test ride the Specialized Tricross and it was not a comfortable ride. It was also a lot of work for me to get up to my usual speed. The Giant TCX W that I tested was very smooth and fast, but a shade too big and too expensive for me.

Pretty much nowhere else had a cross bike in my size to test or even any bike in my size.

Northern Michigan? If you have time, maybe a nice trip down to Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, or Detroit for more choices.
Hey Caddy,

Please do give us a report on the crux, I'm dying to know how it feels on Ann Arbor's "Paved roads". I tried out a TCX W last week and it felt just as rough on a test ride as my hybrid which has an aluminum fork. Too bad your terry was too small for me......

And to tytbody:
I ride a raleigh alysa sport hybrid that cost me $350 on sale new, it was a year old model in a brand the shop was not going to continue, but had been marked as $520 new. I ride 8 miles a day minimum, year round, and after only a year, am now looking to upgrade to a road bike, because 600 mm straight bars suck for the longer (15-30 mile) rides I want to start doing. I had no idea I would like riding for pleasure this much, despite bike commuting on and off for almost 15 years (on a number of really sucky bikes). The 40 pound behemoth I rode for 8 years prior to getting the (22 lb) alysa, actually cost me $100 more for a much lower quality bike. It seems to me that although actual prices do climb (which is called inflation ) the quality of bikes at any specific price point just get better and better as time goes by. And regardless of what price your bike is, everyone has always been warmily welcomed by all you fantastic ladies posting on TE.