Sounds like the tribal elders have served you well my son, and to your great credit you have heard and absorbed the sacred teachings.
My contribution is that until you are a very very experienced rider, with many many (ie > 10,000) miles in your legs, the major factor with regard to your happiness on the bike will be its proper fit to your body, not frame materialor group-set. Research this fully and learn and experiment. If you were to get any old clunker to fit properly, you would cleave to it with a passion. Carbon? Dura-Ace? Who cares - get the fit, get the legs, and enjoy the ride. Do not fall prey to the techno-weenie spend-at-all-costs school of consumerist cycling. And thank your wife lovingly for her gift.
Thus endeth the lesson.
My very best wishes for your many years of fulfilling cycling, and the extra quantity and quality of active life it will bring to you.
My contribution is that until you are a very very experienced rider, with many many (ie > 10,000) miles in your legs, the major factor with regard to your happiness on the bike will be its proper fit to your body, not frame materialor group-set. Research this fully and learn and experiment. If you were to get any old clunker to fit properly, you would cleave to it with a passion. Carbon? Dura-Ace? Who cares - get the fit, get the legs, and enjoy the ride. Do not fall prey to the techno-weenie spend-at-all-costs school of consumerist cycling. And thank your wife lovingly for her gift.
Thus endeth the lesson.
My very best wishes for your many years of fulfilling cycling, and the extra quantity and quality of active life it will bring to you.