Good questions and helpful advice DaveR . If I can hijack Alice's thread ,I too would like a bike that is light .Not because I think it will make me go faster but simply to make life easier when I'm lifting it up stairs into a flat or manhandling onto a train . I'm what I think might be termed a leisure cyclist - 10 mile distances or shorter ,on roads . Comfort important ,ladies/step through bike . And I'm in my 60's and just over 5 '. And only want to spend ?5/600 .