Ridge,
I picked up a Specialized Allez Elite a month or so ago and LOVE it (see "Italian mama got a new baby" thread)!! It is so light and easy to ride that I feel like I am flying!
I am not a small person either 5'9" @ 175 lbs (all muscle, haha) and this bike fits me like a glove. The only time I notice a little rattling is when I am zooming down a steep hill at like 25-30 mph. But even then it's not so much rattling as it is a vibration.
Good luck in your purchase and have a blast with it! I sure am!!