Originally Posted by
celerystalksme
the discomfort may be entirely a fit issue. having a bike fit you is the most crucial part of whether a bike feels comfortable or not. also...it could be that the tires and the pressure it was inflated to could be a factor...
hmmm...if you can find a geometry sheet or this bike, i'd try taking it to a LBS and having them take some initial measurements to see if this bike might be an ok fit or not. this is different from actually getting a bike fitted to you and should be free of charge (or, at least it is at my LBS). if the standover height, top tube length, etc all seem to match with your dimensions, there's a good chance that the bike can be fit to make it adequately comfortable.
otherwise...i really like my specialized roubaix. for $1500, i'd recommend trying to find a 2007 specialized roubaix elite triple (the elite only comes in triple) on closeout...you should be able to find it at right around $1500 at closeout price.
good luck!
+1 on everything
It's a good deal, but it's not a screaming, "my friend's basically giving it to me" type of deal. Shop around a little bit.
On a road bike, the fit is very important because you are often in the same position for hours. Take it to the LBS and make sure it's the right size frame for you. There's a lot you can adjust after the fact, but some things that you can't. Good luck, and definitely shop around a little bit.