The RS is a bike that helps you correct your mistakes, rather than ampllfying them. This isn't the fastest bike but it isn't a slug. No matter how you build it, it's a finger lifter. (Maybe two fingers with Shimano 105). It's a fun bike, it won't beat you up riding rough stuff. On climbs. get out of the saddle and yo-yo at slower cadence, or crank it up to spin cadence.

I wish I were 30 years younger.

Are there other great bikes out there? Defiiniitely. But RS is in the beauty realm. Test-ride it and see if it feels good to you. I did, and it was, "This is REEALLY NIIICE." Then I did 1500 mi months last summer. Good saddle, shorts and lube. I love this RS. If I were 30 years younger, I think I would still love it.

Last summer I was passed by young turks. It was me, not the bike being 56 y/o vs. 20-somethings.

One time I just decided to gas myself, trailing some way younger riders. Then we did some hill-climbing and at 200 pounds, I stood up, and it was see ya. . I learned how to climb in California Coastal Range, and practiced in Oregon Cascades and Colorado Rockies. Kansas hiils, they are nothing. So much so that natives learn to take them sitting down. But you stand up, and crank on an RS, and leave youngsters who didn't grow up climbing, behind. (You guys don't know how to climb, do ya?)

RS is really good for climbing. Crits, not so much.