Back to the road after 15 yr vacation

I looking for some advice about getting back into road biking. I was into road bikes in my twenties. Got up to where I could do a century. Also, I loved the hard pushing hill climb. That was a long time ago. School, family, and career have since gotten in the way and I haven’t ridden in years. Now I’m 35 and I am going to get back into shape. I’m 6’4" and 185 lbs. I have a longer torso and shorter legs.

I’m wondering what bike you would recommend for someone like me? I’ve been to the lbs and seen a few. I’ve trolled these boards a little, too. I like last year’s Giant TCR2 or this years Felt F50 or F65. I’ll spend between $1000 and $1500 on the bike. What would you buy? Is it worth an upgrade from 105 to Ultegra?

Also, I am very concerned about fit. Are there any 6-4 guys out there who can tell me what size frame/brand you like in my price range? It seems once one has a frame, everything else can be adjusted. But miss your optimal frame size, and you’ll have flushed away some big $$$. How can I know if the local shop is sizing me right? Is it actually necessary to be measured with a tape? A test ride is not going to reveal much because I am in no shape for a pounding ride. Also, I’ll need some time to get my balance back. I’ve never ridden with cleats! My old bike was a clunker with straps. I am excited because anything new is going to feel like the space shuttle to me.

Thanks!

First of all, welcome back! I also took a few years off to do the family/career thing and got into cycling and triathlon last year. I also went through the buying a new bike problem and settled on the Felt F65. I felt that at my level of skill I couldn’t justify spending more than $1,000 on a bike (plus the wife looked at me like I was crazy when I told her how much the bike I really wanted to buy cost). Plus, the F65 has a triple crank, great for an old guy like me for going up hills without killing myself or my legs for the run part of events. As far as fit, maybe you can let those of us on this forum know where you are and we can recommend a good bike shop in your area. As far as cleats go, they make a big difference especially because you’ll have to buy different pedals. They will take some getting used to. The falling over part is the worst, but everyone goes through that the first time they ride them.