Guys I've been looking at bikes. Really want a road bike. This will be a first road bike and I'd like to not spend a ton on it. I've been eyeballing the trek al 3 and the alr 3. Which would you guys pick? Looking for opinions as all I know is what the reviews say. No real experience with anything other than my pawn shop hybrid I bought to take on camping trips.

looks like they both have the exact same drive train so the difference is 100 aluminums. (100 vs 200). no idea what that means but I've heard good things about the ALR models if that's worth anything to you.

You'll probably get some negative feedback about the 9 speed Sora but heck, even the $1700 aluminum domane has Tiagra! What the hell, Trek.

I'd say go test ride the thing and buy the one you like more. if you can't tell the difference between 100 series AL and 200 series then you certainly don't need to pay for it.

Some other options in that general price range:
Cannondale CAAD12 105 (about 1600)
Cannondale synapse disc 105 (about 1500)
Specialized Allez Elite 105 (1200)
Felt FR60 10 spd tiagra (1300)

I say "general" because you can likely pick up last year's model for 20% less once the new models hit the streets. One important consideration is to find a shop you like, of course and I don't know what's available in your area.

Happy hunting!

I started with a cheap Tommaso Tiempo full Sora as road bike beginner last year.
Now, moved to a steel 86' Nishiki with full 105 comps that I put together this winter

For the alr3 price you can get a full carbon full Tiagra group - no brand though...

The big difference seems to be that the ALR 3 has the IsoSpeed decoupler, whereas the AL 3 does not.

The LBS where some of my riding buddies work is a Trek dealer, and so I know a lot of Trek riders. Apparently, the IsoSpeed decoupler is really amazing on bumpy surfaces and minor road imperfections; I'm told that it makes the ride much more comfortable and inspires confidence on bumpy roads.

Is it worth an extra ~$200? I have no idea.

From what you wrote the Domane seems like way more bike than you're looking for... definitely has all the makings of a great endurance road bike tho.

The Trek Domane ALR is a great starter road bike, you will not be disappointed by it. As others have suggested also consider the Cannondale CAAD12 which has a more traditional looking frame but is equally as capable.

Starting out, you don't want a real high end bike. Single most important element of bike selection is 'geometry'. It takes owning about 3 different bikes to dial this in.

I suggest you start out with a modest bike off Craiglist. Research what size you need on line. Fit is much more important than which bike you buy but which bike you buy affects your fit on the bike. Go to the bike shop and ask for a general assessment of bike size for your body size and type. Guys at the bike shop can get you in the ball park but they are notoriously misguided as well...or can be...but not always.

There is no substitute for experience and exposure to the sport. The more bikes you ride before you make your selection the better...helped by feedback from those who understand the sport.

Thanks for the replies guys. I've been doing alot of reading. Unfortunately the only people who I personally know who ride are my in-laws. My access to bikes are very limited here. We have a local trek dealer the next town up sales giant, Jamis, and specialized. O guess I'm more familiar with trek so I keep going back to them. The size o need is a 54. I've searched cl, and have found some nice deals. Just not in my size. I'll keep searching though. I'm in no hurry. Looking to have a nice bike by next season. Just using my cheap one as a bit of a trainer until then. Gotta work on my fitness and endurance.

A 54 will be easy to come by... At this point if you're looking at Giant, Specialized and Trek. Pick the one you like the look of as they all use fairly similar design philosophies then get it fitted to suit your body at your local bike store.

The trek domane has a taller stack and shorter reach. This puts you in a more upright riding position than most other road bikes mentioned above. This position is usually more comfortable especially for newer riders or us older folks. Of course I'm biased I own a domane alr5. Nothing wrong with sora components. Plenty good enough for the job. The disc brake models do allow you to run wider tires. But they cost more money.