Hi all,

Same story as many ... getting back into riding, for the 4th time. Still wish I had my orange Schwinn Continental that I got for my 13th birthday, but that's long gone. Fast forward to 1998 when I bought a Cannondale Silk Path 900 ... I was moving to France at the time and knew I'd want a decent bike there. Still have it, 17 trouble-free years later. Can't believe what I paid for it at the time, but turns out it was well worth it. A few years ago I found myself wanting to enjoy the roads with my friends that had road bikes, so I went for a Felt F4. Love it. But now I've found myself enjoying the local rail trails to mix things up a bit. It's probably because I'm 17 years older now, but my beloved Cannondale seems to beat the heck out of my neck, even on smooth trails. I tried several adjustments, but after much research with a trusted LBS, I ordered a 2016 Trek DS 8.5 (XL - 21") last night ... should be here before next weekend. They let me borrow a 2015 DS 8.3 to test on the trail, and WOW ... what a difference! Decided to upgrade to the 8.5. I had been seriously looking at a Cannondale Quick CX, but for the money, the Trek beat it hands down with better components. So, that's my intro. I can tell I'll be on the Trek DS thread a lot ... seems like I'm not the only fan of that bike. And when I started reading it, it absolutely confirmed that I made the right choice after doing my own homework. Thanks in advance for answering the questions I'll have. Cheers!