Please help me buy the right bicycle for my daughter.

[Eden]

Racing tends to get the bikes a little banged up, depending on what she ends up doing, so I personally wouldn't want a pricey carbon bike for that.

Not that I think this should be a huge worry… especially in tri, but aluminum is not actually particularly good for abusing… a dent in an aluminum tube can mean the bike's total demise and the lighter bike the more likely that is to happen. Bent aluminum, like say a chain stay, cannot be bent back, as aluminum fatigues easily. Carbon fails differently, but I don't think more than aluminum, so I wouldn't use that as a deciding factor.

[HGflyer]

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions, finally decided on the Caanondale Caad10 5 105 womens.
We got it with a great discount and on top of it Cannondale was giving away a Garmin bicycle computer for each bike sold.
I was also able to negotiate the clip less pedals so the bicycle is ready to go out and be ridden.
Will pick up in the morning she the bike will be waiting for he when she comes back home in the afternoon!
Again, thanks a lot for all your help!
Now just waiting for the moment we surprise her with her new bike!

[HGflyer]

Here it is, I will get some pictures of her riding it over the weekend, she is totally stoked!!!

[HGflyer]

Great! Nice bike and inexpensive enough to upgrade the brakes if you choose, should last a long time.

We wouldn't object if you were to post pictures of the new ride.

Sure will do, we are going shopping for shoes this weekend so she can start getting used to the clip less in/out and start racking some miles on those wheels