Commuting - Which Sirrus is Better? Which is better? The 2004 Pro Disc Sirrus or the '06 Comp?

Disregard price, I have great deals on both, price is pretty close. Is the sirrus pro disc '04 vastly superior to the sirrus comp '06?

I'm thinking many of the features on the '04 pro disc are now on the '06 Comp, and the '06 Comp has the carbon fork and seat post and bars and that zerts stuff in it, and other improvements in parts. But I like the '04 color "brushed blue" better than the '06 flat "navy". But I have to stick with which is the better bike.

Please only comment if you can look at these specs and say which bike is better, and why.

Note on these links you might have to select USA as country then re-enter the URLS:

'04 Sirrus Pro Disc:
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=5994&JServSessionIdroot=ds3ig9cgem.j27005&bikeTab=techspec

'06 Sirrus Comp:
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=13178&bikeTab=techspec

04' = some ultegra

06'= some 105

Disregarding price I'd go for the 04 model, Actually I went for the 05' basic model :)

Another person told me "don't worry about disc brakes, you'll never get the sirrus fast enough or technical enough to need them", indicating the new Comp is the better choice. Your thoughts? Anyone else want to chime in on this thread please?

whats considered fast for you? I sometimes get 30-40 mph on some local hills, and sure would like the idea of disc brakes, especially on a commuter that you may be carrying supplies.

well this is why I'm leaning toward high-end on a hybrid. On a daily basis I mainly just ride my bike around downtown San Francisco. But I plan to go on longer rides on weekends, in and around our beautiful city, and eventually I plan to participate in the AIDS ride, from San Francisco to Los Angeles, in the spring.

If you've ever descended a mile long hill with a large load and been on your brakes the whole time to slow down cause of road conditions, etc, you'll appreciate disc brakes. Also riding in the rain or if you get into an accident and warp your wheel. So it's better in more conditions.
The comp's probably lighter though, ur choice.

One person advised me "you'll never get a Sirrus fast enough or technical enough to need disc brakes". Is that a fair statement and if so, how do those technical specs stack up to one another sans disc brakes?

That sounded like a very educated answer and I appreciate that. Most people I talk to can't really say "oh yeah this is better because..." If you were in my shoes though, which would you pick?

after owning my first bike.

I would weigh the length of my commute
I would try to factor in how much riding I plan on doing other than my commute.
Reading on here, Components and Fit of bike seem more important so far.

If money is no object, just go with the one that YOU like more, not what anyone else likes for you.

( and if you are here asking for this kind of advice, I would even shop around more, seems like you are not ready to make a purchase. )

I respect that, but I'm going on the advice of an avid cyclist who recommended I get a Sirrus. I understand why the Sirrus, it's a good hybrid for getting around that will also allow me to keep up on long rides.

After I decided on the Sirrus, the '06's just came out. The Comp is the top in my price range. Then someone came out with an '04 Pro Disc on Craigslist. I like the color of the Pro Disc better (and yeah i know color doesn't matter to most of you avid cyclists), but the Comp seems to have mostly the same parts, plus carbon fork, plus newer technology and features, plus if I get it at the local shop they have a very nice maintenance policy.

I should add that the used '04 is cheaper than the new Comp. And the weather is generally nice all year round here.

I'd had a bad year for picking up crap in my brakes. If I had the chance, I would go for the disc brakes.

That said, I'm also quite happy with the carbon fork.

The tempation of the '06 model is also, of course, the joy of getting a *new* toy. Up to you, but I'm sure you'll be happy with either choice.

(I have an 04 Elite, carbon forks, normal brakes)

Make sure the '04 is a good fit to you. If it doesn't fit right, it's not worth the savings. In my case, I'm a newbie and decided to go with a new bike in cooperation with an LBS who fit me to the right geometry. With some experience, I'll soon be able to troll around for used or internet-purchased bikes with some knowledge behind me.

Yeah, it seems people are saying either way is not a bad way to go, with people maybe leaning more toward the newer bike simply for the "new" factor.