the research process has been enjoyable, I'll admit that... I'm sure when I finally find what I am looking for (not necessarily by specific model but by specs & price) I will be much more satisfied... but it kinda sucks to go into a shop expecting that they will have something but when you get there, there are 30 bikes... once you weed out the comfort bikes & mtb's you have maybe 10 road bikes, 8 of them are either the wrong size or the wrong price by a long shot and the other 2 aren't what you have in mind in terms of specs. gonna keep shopping, I'll find what I'm looking for eventually. No rush to buy per se but I don't want to spend the next 6 months walking in and out of shops looking either...