Thanks for everyone's 2¢...here's what I ended up with
Fresh from the test ride.
Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to ride the aluminium SLR (it was in another city 1.5 hours away). The Advanced Pro 1 just felt right after the test ride and the LBS slashed the price for Black Friday week too.
The bike feels fast, smooth, and comfortable -- with lots of speed left untapped.
Now I just have to wait until the plows and salt trucks are gone from the road...