So, I've been researching for months and trying too learn as much as I can. This is what I notice on forums and on past reviews - people loved the Novara Safari and Novara Randonee, but I've also heard they are a little long, so not suited for all builds. Then another search tells me that the REI 2.1 bike is basically the Randonee bike - at least that was true a few years back. But when I see reviews of the REI Adv. 2.1, I'm not seeing glowing reviews. Has it changed? Have other manufacturers just done better in the last few years?

Thoughts?

EDITING - maybe it wasn't the 2.1, but the 1.1 or even the 3.1 = but are any of these considered as good?