the 05 allez elite is a great bike. thats the same frame they used on the 02 s works and the same frame as the03 04 comp and pro allezs. its a great bike with a full 105 setup. im gonna pick me up one for training cos damn, what bang for the buck. the msrp in the usa is 1100 dollars without tax. but i bought my girlie one for 1050 out the door. so dont be paying 1500, thats rubbish. anyways pick one up, you will enjoy it. the handlebar issues is just to do with ergonomics. eveyone needs the bike set up for their size. when you buy a bike, fit is part of the service the bike shop provides , they do all that stuff for u for free, including swapping out the stem, so no matter what bike you buy, u will get that service. so no sweat there. happy shopping