Originally Posted by
eightfingers
Isn't the Trek WSD a womans bike? How does an upright hybrid compare to a road bike? I might be interested in that.
In many cases, women's bikes are essentially the same as mens bikes, except for the saddle - and at your slightly Clyde size, a wider saddle might very well be a good thing. OK, the bottle cages are pink - no biggie.
As for the upright hybrids, they are pretty close to drop-bar road bikes in performance, but more comfortable. I rented one in Hawaii (a Specialized Sirrus) and I quite liked it. On the performance continuum between a mountain bike and a drop-bar road bike, they are maybe 75-80% of the way toward a drop bar road bike.
But after I saw the BikesDirect new bikes you are looking at, I think that one of the 3 I listed in my prior post would be your best bet. I might lean toward the Motobecane Mirage S, in the 52 cm size for you.