Specialized 700c tires will be Flackjackets(tough) or Armidillos(really tough)
Specialized carbon stay bikes look like they have a screw holding the carbon stay to the alluminim stay. Don't worry, it is a fender or rack mount and not structural. If you want to worry get a seat post mount rear rack, you can get a frame for it that allows easy pannier mounting. Most racks are rated for 40 pounds max and most people will never put that much on a rack. The extra weight should not be a problem unless you are truly huge.
The OCRs come with an adjustable stem as well. Most of the racy(Allez) Specialized bikes have a four postion adjustable stem that uses an interior shim to make slight changes and flipping the stem for gross changes.
You really need to ride them both to make your choice.
A thing a bout the Giant sizing, alot has been said about "They only offer three sizes" Well in most of their bikes they offer five. This is comparable to the range that is offered in conventional sizing. If you look close, or do a real measurement on just about any makers bike you will find that the number they give you for size is virtual. That is, the number is what the bike would be if it had a top tube perpindicular to the ground. This has been going on for years, I have a Cdale that measuers 15" center to center b ut is called an 18". Giant was just the first to be up front about it and so they get the hard time. They are also the ones that came up with compact geometry and got protested by the other manufacturers and banned from UCI events for a year till the other makers realised the benefit and had time to tool up themselves, at which time they protested it, the ban, and started making their own compact frames.
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