Originally Posted by
NMBuff
Awesome. Test out the difference in the bikes. I have a Cannondale Synapse 5 105 alum myself. I love it and it has eyelets for fenders, not for a rack. Are you planning on commuting to work? Are you planning on riding in bad weather? Some bikes struggle with 28mm tires due to brake clearance. If you do decide to go with 28 have the shop you are buying them from make any brake adjustments for you.
Try the "endurance" bikes and try the ones used for racing. You will feel the difference immediately, but it'll help you decide what you like and what you don't. The geometry of different models make every brand feel different, along with the type of tubing and wheels.
You can probably wait on shoes and pedals. Keep money allocated for them, but get used to riding a road bike for a bit (a couple of months).
^^^This is GREAT advice!
Definitely try out as many different bikes as you can. I'm not just talking about at one shop or in one day.
You might be surprised.....
Like with myself- I never had any interest in racing, and never will. You'd think that I'd fall more towards the side of comfort/endurance....but in actuality, I prefer a full-out race bike. It was my first ride [many years ago, on a rental in NYC] on a race-type bike which really got me interested in cycling, because I loved the way that bike just so effortlessly glided along; it's nimbleness; and speed and lightness. Those things just jumped out at me and slapped me in the face and woke me up the first time I rode such a bike. And that bike was not uncomfortable.
So try 'em all out- you may find that can indeed be comfortable on certain race bikes in the proper size...and you may love what they offer...or you may hate them, and indeed like the comfort/endurance/heavier commuters- but there's only one way to find out. One ride on a race-type bike, and the others may seem lethargic and cumbersome...or you may even prefer the position of a race bike, depending on the particular bike's geometry and fit.....
Ride as many as you can, and don't jump at anything right away- sleep on it- because the one that felt really good today, may seem like junk compared to the one you try tomorrow. But chances are, one day you jump on one bike, and it will just "click" with you, and you'll say "Oh yeah! This is it!".
And "you da man", selling that bike so fast, and for what ya paid for it!
PS: You can get a set of toe clips and straps for about $15- which will accomplish the same thing as clipless pedals/shoes. Quite frankly, I prefer the clips/straps, and have never gone clipless [Really, why should I spend the money, when the clips/straps work perfectly fine; and are lighter?]