Originally Posted by LibertyFLS

Hello everyone, if this is already answered and I didn't find it in searches, or it's in the wrong place etc, please delete/move.

So I'm 1 year into cycling and still loving it, besides being the windiest year I think I've ever experienced where I live which really makes it a lot less fun to ride. I've had 4 C&V bikes since last Aug, and sold one of them to a member on here many states away! My main ride is a 73-4 Falcon San Remo, I also have an '80 SR Semi Pro (kids main bike) and an '88 Trek 360. After a year, I feel that if I'm riding for fitness and want to keep up with friends on modern bikes, I kind of need a modern myself. I also feel that maybe my almost 50 year old bike which I love should be treated more like my classic Benz and just ridden now and then when I feel like it, mainly on weekends and otherwise stored safely so it's around for years to come.

Which brings me to what I've been shopping.
I'm looking for a new bike under 2k, and have pretty much narrowed it down to the Marin Nicasio 2 or a Giant Contend AR2. I love that the Marin is made with 4130 double butted tubing, but I don't love that the complete bike is heavier than my 50 year old Falcon. The Giant is aluminum and has a slightly better/lighter groupset (Shimano 105 vs. Tiagra on the Marin), I love the dark blue and the geometry, but it's kind of boring and it's a bike from the biggest company in the world and I tend to like more boutique or rarer less common things... My probably #1 choice would be a State Bicycle Co. Undefeated but after watching their site all year and signing up for notification, they're still out of stock so that one is off the list unless I get an email in the next few days saying they're in stock.

The Marin weighs approx 24.5 pounds and the Giant is approx 20.5 so there's around a 4 pound difference. I prefer the Marin brand, I live in CA and have never seen anyone riding a Marin road or all-road bike, so I would definitely have a bike probably no one I ever came across has. But the Giant is lighter. Which should I choose, and is 4 pounds that big of a deal, which it is like 20% more so, just not sure. The 4130 Marin keeps me on a "steel is real" vibe, the color and look is on point, but the weight of it has me feeling, if I drop close to 2k and don't like it, I'm kind of stuck with it. The Giant is just another modern aluminum frame, decent bike in a color I love, wish the GIANT letters were a lot more subtle though.

Thanks as always for the input!