a lot of good advise from guys that have been there. for me finding the right bike comes first. afterwards u can patronize the best lbs u can find. having 2k to spend right off the bat is great because w a little luck, patience & advise from the bf u can get the perfect bike for ur needs for that price right away w/o spending alot of $ on bikes u won't use much later on. since u did ride for 5 yrs previously, r 54 & looking for another "street bike" i'm assuming u need a comfortable road bike that will last & be "rideable" for u as u get older. in my view this means a carbon bike from a good brand w at least mid level components & a relaxed geometry. i would check out Specialized; Cannondale; Giant; Cervelo, Colnago & Trek. if u look up the websites of ur local bike shops u'll find that some of them will carry a few of these brands together. that way u can test ride several brands at a time. components should be at least 105. as far as shoes go someday u may have to walk far after breaking down in the middle of a ride so i would get mountain shoes with recessed cleats. good luck & post again as soon as u do a few test rides.
