Just to jump back in here for a second, given your new thoughts I would say this: I stand by what I said above; you can/could easily adjust the RH to give you the higher gears you want, even with slicks. One other point re. that: speed over the road doesn't, for most, come from 'pushing' high gears -- that way lies great potential for knee injury. Rather, teach yourself/learn to spin easier/lower gears at high cadence to develop speed -- it's a skill, like any other cycling skill. OK, enough! Having said that, it sounds to me like the CT is the bike that floats your boat!! If that's true, then that's the bike you should go for. If you do, two things: 1) the extra $300 spent now for the Pro, if you can swing it, will save you $$$$ in the long run, because the componentry -- fork, brakes, drivetrain etc. -- is significantly better, and 2) if you do tend to ride 'rough' a little, make sure that the LBS checks/adjusts the hubs and spoke tension on the wheels before you ride off; Specialized's stock wheels (at all price levels) are notoriously iffy from the factory -- a little TLC before you start banging around will save a lot of frustration. Good luck with your decision