Did a blitz of bikes on Friday morning at a bike shop that carried a bunch of different brands. Biggest complaint is that they didn't have a single bike with the combination of frame size and components that I was directly interested in. I realize it's hard to expect them to carry so many models in so many sizes, but it was hard to get a real feel for it. That, and maybe I'm not an experienced enough rider to be able to mix-n-match parts in my head.
I rode a properly sized Revenio (but the 1.0 model, with Sora and CrMo fork), a Giant Defy 3.0 (Sora again), a C'dale Synapse (wrong size, but with 105 components), and a 2010 (?) Fuji Roubaix (rental bike). Pretty sure that was Sora again. (I should probably take notes.
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The Giant was poorly setup and didn't shift all that well. Lots of clicking. They were super busy with rentals when I popped in, so I just took it out as is. Might have colored my opinion, but it was my least favorite. The Fuji was fine and setup better, but was not really distinctive in any way. Both of these suffered in my mind because of the Sora components which I have and am looking to upgrade from.
The Synapse was *way* too big, but I took it out just to feel the 105s again. Very nice bike. Really felt like it was jumping out from beneath me when I put my mind to a hard effort. Hard to get a better judge of that one, though, because it was a 58cm and I should have been in a 54. They didn't have any that size ready to ride.
Of those 4 bikes, though, I think I liked the Revenio (even with the Sora stuff) the best. It was setup very well, shifted very nicely, and felt good. It was obviously heavier than the other bikes, with the CrMo fork and slightly heavier components, but it really was a nice ride.
I'm trying in my mind to mate the nice shifting of the 105s with the frame of the Revenio. Unlike at least one other shop, I'd have to just buy the Revenio (in the 3.0 model). The shop wouldn't bring one in and build it in the hope of me buying. (Another shop agreed to do that with a model they didn't have in stock.)
So... right now at least... I think it's between the Revenio 3.0 and the Felt Z85. Seems to be the best bang for the buck. The Felt is going to come from EMS because no LBS in the area carries them. It's also really my closest "bike shop" and will do a free tune-up which not everyone has offered with a new bike. (?) The Revenio will have to be ordered un-ridden in that particular model, but they said they could have it in just a few days.
Not sure if this helps you at all. Good luck with your search.