It's made for hauling a load while touring, hence the front and rear racks. It would be heavier than a carbon racing bike, but has a granny gear (i.e. low gear ratio) so you can carry that load up hills. You can take one or both racks off if you don't plan to use them. The steel frame and larger (38mm tires) give it a very smooth ride, and those larger tires allow you to go on some rougher roads if you want. I bought one of these used a few years ago, and like it. I ride it a lot in the winter, because it's much less likely to get a flat tire (that way I don't freeze fixing a flat on the side of the road). I do lose a couple MPH in average speed compared to my "racing" bike, but you don't notice it unless you're trying to keep up with a group. The current component offering is a little on the low side, but you could upgrade them if you want (or even buy just the frame, and build it up from scratch (or have the bike shop do it for you).


[Post edited by Hokie360 at 08/03/2019 10:44AM]