Quote Originally Posted by Caren View Post
But on a daily basis, I want to go out and blaze 25-30 miles, not ride a long slow 100. I don't want to suffer through this MS event if I go with the Amira because it's a "racing" bike but I don't want to sacrifice my daily riding preference either by getting something "plush" or "relaxed". Are these just adjectives they are throwing around or do they really mean anything?
I can tell you that I've always been happy on my Cannondale SuperSix (comparable to Amira), even during 147ish mile rides across the state of MI. It's a stiff, "aggressive" frame, but it works well for me. My previous bike was the same size Synapse (comparable to Ruby) and it felt too upright and soft to me.

All of this is a very YMMV sort of thing. The bike you will be fastest on is generally the one that fits best, assuming comparable bike weight. If you're uncomfortable anywhere it will waste a lot of energy.