I understand where you guys are coming from, but you've got to realize, I'm a pretty casual bike rider. I know that when it comes to road biking, perfect fit is most important followed by componentry and things of that nature. I know this won't be completely ideal, but I've got a friend who's got a much smaller bike then would fit me, but it's still a fun bike to ride, I can just tell its not 100% efficient. I guess more importantly then the ride comfort & speed question is this : how much more likely am I to get injured on a bike that is a few inches too small as opposed to a correctly fitted bike.