Hi ! At the risk of sounding overly nice, THANK YOU!!! all again for your explanations and thoughts. *I like this site!*

from the details given it looks like, for me, both bikes offer just
a b o u t. the same function and features. Gosh- it is so hard to decide. Why? Why?! (it is fun deciding tho)
For the steel-lover-- yay! That is one of the main reasons I'm going with Marin, because I wanted a good steel frame. I was actually going to get a Giant until someone randomly told me abt Marins. I am not too worried abt weight, as I'm just under 130lbs
(or 9 stone). am abt. 5' 6 1/2" so....

I do have an extended question (maybe someone answered it and I am not getting it but-- if i were to go w/the 2000 "V" brake- bike, do you think the brakes would do well in the rain? I mean, would it *easily or unfortunately do you think, wear down or break apart/crack/however it wouldn't work?



...and am i allowed to ask a trivial question?

Since Dances with Bikes asked,and i was turning it around as an afterthought already...the color of the PM2000 is a deep forest green, which I really like. And the color of the PM2002 is white,
which I am sort of neutral on, tho I kinda like it. Even tho it is eons away, I keep thinking that rust would look even more ugly on a white bike! What does anyone think?

ok, and one last (paranoid) question for the road: why would a bicycle shop have leftover bikes from two years ago? Is it common? They wouldn't go riding it in their spare time would they?! (please forgive me, these are my last-moment-just-before-bike-buying-random thoughts- I am sure theywouldn't ride it really-- i wish anyone who knew bikes was here to go with me, but I am brave! and with all this great advice, it'll be just like I am an expert almost.
Emma
-how do i get one of those neat side-pictures & cool nams for my profile? (now i need to go up to the library and get a computer self-tutorial) thank you again for all the help