Slim -
I tried to send you a private reply to your message back but being a new member I don’t have enough points yet.
I can't thank you enough for spending the time to help me out. I am a member of running and rowing forums and enjoy spending time helping and learning from others in those communities. I knew there had to be an equally excellent cycling forum. I'm so glad I found bikeforums.
The Jamis Coda Elite you pointed me to looks nice. I see there are current threads on steel vs. aluminum frames.
I need to make a drive to the Dallas/Ft Worth or Austin area and find a good bike shop to get fitted properly. Both are a couple hours away but I'm sure would be well worth the trip. I just want to become as knowledgeable as I can beforehand.
Do you usually go through a local dealer to purchase bikes like this or are there online sources?