Road Cycling - LeMond Wayzata vs. Cannondale RoadWarrior 500(?)

ive been shopping around for the last month looking at different bikes that will suit my needs... so its down to the LeMond Wayzata and the Cannondale RoadWarrior 500(?). the reason that ive narrowed my choices to these two bikes is because of the handlebars, gear setups and price. im not a huge fan of drops (but ill admit that i havent given modern ones a chance) and i like the fact that i would be able to swap out handlebars without a problem. plus, i dont like to get all that low.
anyway, the wayzata goes for something like 999 and the road warrior is like 750. please leave me your thoughts and advice. ive been working way too much overtime for my future bike, so id like to make the right choice.

ps. what makes the lemond a more expensive bike? from a glance they look very similar aside from frame metal. i know absolutely nothing about gears and technical stuff like that...

Your cost differential will be made up in nearly every aspect of the bike. From the spokes to the seat, there will be quality differences that will make a comparrison a wash.

The big difference between these two bikes are the frames and the materials used to build them. 853 steel is the high-zoot flavor of the moment in steel. 853 is relatively light and will dampen a lot of the vibration from the road where the aluminum will be a little stiffer. Cannondale makes the prettiest aluminum frames around and I've always liked them since my first 'Dale back in '91.

What it all comes down to is how they feel under your butt when you get them out on the road. Ride them, look at them, read all you can find on them. Obsess, obsess, obsess! But do not make your decision based on the price! You do that and I can almost guarantee that you will second guess yourself for as long as you own the bike. How you feel once on the bike for a good test ride will do the decision making for you. Have fun shopping!

Hello,

Buying a bike is a personal choice based on such things as comfort, price, appearance and other things. Shopping can be both fun and frustrating.
With that said,

I got a Wayzata a year and a half ago and am very happy with it.

I am not interesting in racing performance and all that; this bike is great for my cycling needs, club rides, commuting, centuries etc.

And if I so desire, I can really fly on the bike too.

I rode a Cannondale Mountain bike for 6 years or so, on the road, and one of the nicest things about the Wayzata is not dragging it during the last 10-20 miles of a long ride.

At purchase I exchanged the saddle, and got Time ATAC pedals and a 105 rear derailleur.

The skinny tires didn't last long. I replaced them with Specialized armadillo 25s, again a trade off with weight for durability.

On a club ride last week, I saw a Trek with almost identical components and look to it.

Look at these reviews from roadbikereview.com

http://www.roadbikereview.com/2002%20Road%20Bike/LeMond%20Bicycles/PRD_101441_4229crx.aspx

http://www.roadbikereview.com/2003%20Road%20Bike/LeMond%20Bicycles/PRD_138815_4338crx.aspx