Thanks for breaking all this down! I went with the Specialized Vita given the steel fork and what you'd said earlier re: CT. The other shifters would have been nicer but the ride is more important.

I didn't consider that the riding positions would be different. Just out of curiosity, how could you tell?

I wasn't able to test ride both before purchasing as they were each 1+ hours away and I would be getting a ride to pick the bike up (few good bikes come up for sale where I live). I had tried the LG at a bike shop a while back, but had to guess with the Vita. It seems decent though a bit different from my old mountain bike, but I expect to adjust to it quickly once I start commuting.