Originally Posted by carleton

I say, take your time. Do some research for a couple of weeks. Measure twice, cut once. Buy a bike that is "better than you" and grow into it as opposed to buying a bike that suits your skill level now.

Spend money to avoid or solve problems. Steel, aluminum, and carbon are all fine...and all could cause issues. The key is knowing about what you are purchasing.

Don't focus on weight of the frame. Weight is important, but not the most important. There are many world-class frames that are heavy as hell.

Focus on getting the right angles, size, trouble-free components.

Specific questions get specific answers. Post pics, links, and geo charts to get good answers here. We will not go hunting for info to solve your problem. But, if you lay the info in our laps, we'll evaluate it. We are lazy.