Wow. Lots of info in here! I am looking up these bikes you ladies are talking about and simply drooling. My roommate has no clue why a person needs more than one bike. Hahahaha. I told her it's like horses were - you can't just have one and a stable full is always the best.

I am weighing the options of pedals. Could you suggest any SPD pedals that also have a platform side so that if I want to have a rider come with me on the cross bike or commute in regular shoes to campus on a bike, it could work? My roommate has expressed interest on trail riding with me if I get this bike going and I would love to have company but she is nervous after a bike accident (needs a confidence builder) and while we share a shoe size and are the same size, she is not ready for pain of clipping in and out. As it stands, the shimanos are perfect in that they have a cleat only on one side. Best of both worlds.