I was leaning towards neuvation as well. I really don't care about "name brands", just performance and an upgraded feel compared to what I have right now. I mean, I'm new to the sport, so dropping 2-3k for a bike is outta the question. Do I like the graphics on the neuvation, no in my opinion. Graphics will not improve my ride, it will only improve the approval from other roadies. I know there will be drawback from not buying local, but from what I've heard, customer service/support is outstanding from neuvation.

By the way, is there a big difference in aluminum vs carbon fiber? I've read that it is better to get a quality al frame vs a poor carbon fiber frame. But how do you know if the carbon fiber is "good or poor"? I've always wondered. I'm really liking the SRAM over the Shimano components. I saw the reviews on testrider for both the bike and components, all positive!