This is more of a personal decision as finances, commitment, time, etc all fall into play. I bit the bullet a couple months ago and invested in a Ruby with 105's as my first bike since high school. I went in looking for a $700 hybrid thinking THAT would be an investment and left with a $2500 bike (on sale)! My reasoning was, the more comfortable the bike, the more I'd want to ride it. I also wanted a very light bike so I could easily take it in and out of my car. As far as the gears, I didn't really like how the Sram gears felt in the test run, so 105's was the only other option. I, too, didn't know how to use the gears until the test ride at the LBS. 2 months later: I love my bike...I ride it every chance , I get lots of compliments, and my performance has seriously improved. No buyer's remorse for this newbie