Quote Originally Posted by withm View Post
But what's with the bar end shifters? Not sure I could ever get used to those and having to actually move my hands so far to shift.
The barcons definitely take some getting used to, but it's a pretty shallow learning curve. The first few blocks of test ride felt a little wobbly, but by the time I'd shifted a few times, I was feeling perfectly fine/stable/comfortable <-- this is saying quite a lot for clumsy, uncoordinated me.
I'm told the biggest advantage of these over STI shifters is ease of maintenance/repair when out in the middle of nowhere.

Quote Originally Posted by zencentury View Post
That Raleigh reminds me of the Trek Portland.
It's a very similar bike, but in steel and about $600 less. Add in the Brooks saddle (which I already ride and love on my other bikes), full fenders and rear rack and I'll probably squeal with glee if the fit works for me.

(still excited, despite the food poisoning that found me last night...)