You said your bike will have a 12/34 durace casette. I am not aware of such a casette, I thought durace only went up to 12/27. Perhaps you mean an XTR casette (comparable to durace but a mountain casette).

I hear you, I love my 9spd gruppo too but I have found it harder to get replacement parts so just thought I'd throw that out there. I do find it surprising you like your bike geared so low, I don't know how I would do without my 50/11 to go fast on a flat (not a descent mind you, but a flat), and I do find my 34/34 takes me up any climb I want. But we are all different so you know what is best for you. The cool thing about gearing is that its easy to change by swapping casettes.

Enjoy her, I am sure she is going to be beautiful! Perhaps you said earlier, but what steel is she going to be made from. I am sure you said its one of the new light weight alloys. Maybe someday I'll go custom to, but not until my kids finish college and are gainfully employed!