I have the impressions that the OP's anxiety is increased by the fact that he's buying a bike long-distance (from bikesdirect.com or Competitive Cyclist, I don't know which, I get them mixed up all the time), and is worried that if he buys the bike and stuff doesn't work he'd have to deal with returns (I'm just guessing here).

A couple of ways to reduce this anxiety:
- Find a LBS and work with them (as has been suggested many times)
- Find a custom builder and just participate in the spec on every inch of the bike. For a person w/the OP's budget, why not?

Or , given his budget, get a bike from a constucteur who takes responsibility for every inch of the bike, down the nuts and bolts that attach the fenders, like:

http://www.cycles-alex-singer.fr/cat...-prestige.html




If it's all about the coolest bike, an Alex Singer blows away Cervelo any day of the week (I'm old and slow, though, what do I know?)

http://www.ece.ubc.ca/~gillies/singer/