Quote Originally Posted by Muirenn View Post
What is your budget?

You really need to test ride your bike. Especially since you are new to road biking and want to do a long ride.

The difference between mens and womens should be fit. In general, they figure women have longer legs in proportion to their overall height. Not true. Some are evenly proportioned. Some women have shorter legs. Some men have longer.

Suggestion. Start test-riding Jamis bikes. Both mens and womans. You don't have to buy it if you don't like the color. You get a lot for the money with Jamis.
x2 for Jamis. I have Jamis Ventura Elite with full Ultegra components (yeah I went all out on my first road bike - still have her). When I was bike shopping, I knew I wanted Ultegra components. I looked at Trek, Specialized (and they didn't have the 44cm that I needed...I like the current Specialized women's bikes than 2008...regardless...), Cannondale, and a couple others. They all were at LEAST $600-$1000 MORE for the bike with the SAME component and frame material. The geometry were all different, but still.

Something to consider as well.