Hey DPCX, thanks for that very interesting info! I guess that throws the 2017 Tamland back in the mix for me.
Did I hear you right that you have a Merit Elite? If so, I would LOVE to hear more about it. I am trying to decide on a bike for mountain road centuries/fondo rides. Bikes like the Defy or Domane probably have the right kind of geometry I am looking for. The Merit could be a good choice also, but I was surprised how short the chainstays are for an "endurance" bike and I am unsure how it really handles. I have never owned a CF bike so the ~20 lbs weight of the Merit is just fine for me (but I am very light and don't want to punish myself needlessly on long climbs so would like to keep it around 20 lbs). Also being light to begin with, I'm not sure the suspension seatpost and stem are something I need -- how are those working in practice?
What I would like is a bike that climbs well and will help me get down the descents safely. I mangled my collar bone last year and now am terribly nervous on any high speed descent. It's like a bad case of PTSD or something...
I also keep thinking of just getting a Roker and using it as a road bike, but then I also know that a quicker-handling bike can more fun and even more safe in any group riding. (I already go back and forth with this on my current Tamland versus my Pistola, two very different bikes).
If anyone has any thoughts, I appreciate it
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