New to road bikes and wondering between two

[dasgeh]

I don't think you want a Tri-specific bike unless you intend to do triathlons (or maybe time trials.) They are purpose built for riding alone and being as aero as possible, while saving certain muscle groups for the subsequent run phase of a tri.

I believe most people also find the fit to be less comfortable than a road bike (at least until you get used to it). Again, depends a lot on what you intend to do with the bike. If you're thinking of doing tris, great. If you're thinking of doing tris and commuting / touring around for long rides on the weekends, you may be happier with a road bike. You can get a pretty good aero position on most road bikes.

[KS1G]

One more vote to make sure whatever you decide to buy fits you before buying anything. I am helping a friend buy her 1st road bike (has a hybrid and is ready to make the move up). Over several visits to different shops, she has figured out she prefers woman-specific geometry, her frame size (which varies with make), top tube length preference (10mm makes a huge difference), likes SRAM action but preferes feel Shimano brifter hoods (going to have to pick one or the other), and prefers carbon to Al/carbon mix. And narrowed it down to 2 shops and 2-3 bikes. She'd be unhappy and have wasted a lot of money if she'd gone out and bought what she initially thought she wanted, and be wondering if she'd gotten the best deal for the right bike if she bought what she saw at the 1st shop (although that is one of the bikes she's considering, so it'd have been a good choice).

[QuantFail]

Well I just came back from visiting two LBSs.

I found a Felt Z6, everything Carbon except for the Handle bar, so Frame, Fork and seatpost were Carbon. Then the next LBS had a Cavalo Calabrese, which is a bike made by Nashbar which is the same as Fuji I think, same frame the salesperson told me, was Carbon everything (Frame, Fork, Seatpost and Bar). Both of these bikes are for 1200. The Felt was a 2010 and the Cavalo was a 2011. They struck me as more bike for my buck than the others. The Cavalo had SRAM components and the Felt has 105s. So I guess it's a toss.

[Greenbelt]

I'd say the clearances built in for mud and gunk have something to do with it, although I've never examined that variable between a dedicated touring bike and a cross bike. Racy cross bikes will have shorter stays, but I find most have a little longer wheelbase and a little slacker front end geometry than your typical road bike. Both traits common to tourers as well. Eyelets can also be found on most low-mid range cross bikes since so many of us (myself included) are using them as commuters.

Lines are blurring everywhere!

Saw this last night: disk brake equipped cross bike with narrow-ish CX tires (more for harder track than pure mud I think). Long-distance commuter bike of the future, I think. I was drooling.

[DaveK]

Saw this last night: disk brake equipped cross bike with narrow-ish CX tires (more for harder track than pure mud I think). Long-distance commuter bike of the future, I think. I was drooling.

I'm currently drooling over the Raleigh Furley (SSCX with discs) I saw at Revolution - http://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/steel-road/furley-12/

...or the sweet, sweet Kona I saw at BicycleSpace last weekend - http://www.konaworld.com/road.cfm?content=honky_inc

[WillStewart]

If you are shifting from "up on the bars" with your hybrid to a "down on the drops" position, you may want to consider how that might feel on your back, neck, shoulders, wrists, etc for the duration of your commute.

[Greenbelt]

I'm currently drooling over the Raleigh Furley (SSCX with discs) I saw at Revolution - http://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/steel-road/furley-12/

...or the sweet, sweet Kona I saw at BicycleSpace last weekend - http://www.konaworld.com/road.cfm?content=honky_inc

I looked at the Honky Inc, but went with the Jamis BosaNova instead (a better price on the disk-equipped steel bike, although I discarded the silly stock fenders, went with bigger tires, and eventually upgraded the brakes). The Jamis just seemed to fit me perfect, and I can ride it for hours without any pressure points or discomfort. Their new cross bike is going to be a competitor though for commuters I think -- I can't wait to ride one. It's a quite a bit lighter, but I'll have see how comfy it is on the road.

[dasgeh]

Well I just came back from visiting two LBSs.

Hope it was fun! I have a Felt (ZW25, I think) and I LOVE it. Mainly because of fit, but I commute on it everyday and have done a few tris on it. I've had it for 3 years. Love it.

[CCrew]

If you are shifting from "up on the bars" with your hybrid to a "down on the drops" position, you may want to consider how that might feel on your back, neck, shoulders, wrists, etc for the duration of your commute.

For the most part that transition is positive, as you have much more in the way of options with drops on hand and body positioning than you do in pretty much a fixed position on a hybrid

[WillStewart]

For the most part that transition is positive, as you have much more in the way of options with drops on hand and body positioning than you do in pretty much a fixed position on a hybrid

True, but the hybrid position is relatively comfortable in all the areas I stated, and hands on the drops can introduce neck, back, shoulder, wrist, etc discomfort and/or pain.