threadwalker

When I was last bike-shopping, I was a bit daunted by the prices at REI and did a bit more comparison shopping. I ended up getting my current bike at Missing Link, which had a much better selection in the "commute & weekend recreation" price range. A lot depends on whether you're planning to use it just for triathlons (in which case the road-race style is definitely the way to go) or might end up wanting something suiting to a broader range of uses. I do just enough trail riding on occasion that I wanted some of those features (like front shocks and wider-than-skinny tires), and I've always hated dropped handlebars even when I'm working on speed. I'd never win any races with it, but I also don't feel like I'm hitching a thoroughbred to a plow when I bike-commute.