Good point thdave, I will check this out when I'm back in the shop. I agree with the point about the quality of the LBS. The guy that explained all my options was amazing, which is probably contributing to the fact that I've narrowed it down to those three bikes. I'm sure there are comparable bikes outside of those brands but hey, that's what makes a good bike shop great right? The people. In reality, I'm going to be back there any for my accessories and tune-ups so why wouldn't they make an investment in hiring the right people....but, I digress. I'll be back in the shop today or tomorrow as an even wiser consumer, thanks to this board. Love this forum.