New Commuter Bike

[Bike Chick]

Very nice, Winding!

[WindingRoad]

My loverly new "do EVERYTHING" bike which I am absolutely in love with!!!

[WindingRoad]

Here's the last two

[pll]

Wow. Beautiful! What kind of gearing do you have on it? It looks like a fun bike. You will want to ride to work, for sure.

[Antaresia]

Gorgeous! I love all the red details.

[Catrin]

It is a lovely bike! I never realized that you are REALLY taller than me until I saw your bike in person

[WindingRoad]

Here is my list o' goodies:

Salsa, Vaya 55 cm frame with fork - charcoal
Salsa semi 29'er rims - 32 hole
Deore XT hubs - 32 hole
Avid BB7 brakes
FSA headset 1 1/8" - red
DT spokes - heavy gauge
DT red nipples - 2.0
Bontrager racelite carbon seat post - 27.2
SRAM X7 rear der - long cage
Shimano 105 front der - braze on
Front Der. Adapter 28.6
Shimano 105 triple shifters
Shimano 105 triple crankset - 172.5 mm
shift mate - adapts SRAM der. to Shimano shifter
SRAM cassette 11-36
Bontrager Hardcase tires - 700x32
Gore sealed brake and shifter cables
Salsa bar tape - black
Salsa ProMoto stem
Salsa seat collar - red
SRAM chain 10 spd
Red zip ties
EA70 Easton Carbon handle bar 40mm
Serfas Dorado saddle
Bontrager Back Rack II

[WindingRoad]

It is a lovely bike! I never realized that you are REALLY taller than me until I saw your bike in person

In your defense I think I have disproportionately long legs is all

[Sardine]

Oh, very nice! You are a tall woman. Picking up my new road bike tomorrow morning but nothing quite as special. Congratulations and enjoy.

[Velocivixen]

Wow oh wow! Thanks for the photos and list. I knew I recognized that rear raci-it's the one I have on my hybrid. Good and sturdy. Now...about fenders??? Will you get some? How does it ride? I mean what does it feel like? Where have you ridden it to so far? I want all the details.

[WindingRoad]

It is super silky smooth to ride, the steel frame is VERY plush. Fenders are next on the list. I've been thinking that the aluminum hammered fenders from Velo Orange would be the perfect look for this bike.

http://www.google.com/products/catal...ed=0CFMQ8wIwAA

I've been commuting on it this week and it has been very windy here. Even in nasty cross winds it's super stable. It feels like you are glued to the road when you are riding but still takes off when you need it to. I was cruising along at 20 MPH this week and I could hear my tires humming, lol. I kept thinking a car was coming up behind me but it WAS me.

I have super low gears for climbing while loaded up with gear but still plan to use it for training so I have road worthy gears too so I can keep up with the group. I treated the frame before building it to make it rust proof. I do a lot of commuting so this is pretty much the grocery getter and the everything else bike.

[Catrin]

oooooh, I approve of the fenders

[Becky]

WR, if you don't mind me asking, how tall are you?

I'm considering a Vaya frame (among others) to replace my Bianchi frame. It's one of the few steel bikes I can find with a slacker seat tube in the small-mid sizes. But I'm not on board with the 26" wheels on the smallest sizes, so that may limit my choices.

[WindingRoad]

I am 5'8, my inseam is 32.5"

[Becky]

This is good info- thanks!