This bike shopping thing is hard :) Help?

[Catrin]

I felt similarly overwhelmed in deciding. In fact, I think car-buying decisions are much easier to make!

Yep. Indeed, the time spent in my new Kia Soul purchase last year was MUCH shorter and far less agonizing than any of my bike purchases.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Is a triple an option on any of your choices? My thought is that if hills are a concern, and you are accustomed to a triple, why not stick with one if you can?

[Sky King]

gears and gear inches, the bike hermit put together a nice post on gears (IMO) including gear charts from Sheldon Brown. Hope this helps