I think I successfully hijacked the thread!!!

Just kidding.

By the way, the bike pictured in the link is designed to work with 26" CX wheels and (as pictured) the uber light 650c Helios wheels from Velocity. All that is required is a little brake shoe adjustment.

It is really cool to see other builders, and companies like Terry (I consider her/them like Surly, small production but no longer a custom builder) starting to make actual, true cx bikes (not modified mtb's) using 26" wheels. Hopefully there will be more and more decent (and cx race legal) tires in this size in the near future so we can all share the love.

Y'all say such nice things. Thanks...

About titanium: I always wanted to do this. I raced a Merlin for years and loved it. However, welding titanium is pretty nasty and I'd have to become intimate with acetone, which--given the other toxins I confront daily--I'd rather not. Plus, it is harder and harder to procure tubing, especially in the configs. that would work wonders for small/light riders...plus plus, I have found my steel frames rival titanium for weight (2.6-3.5 lbs for road frames) and ride as nice. It's all about the tubing and custom tuning it for the rider. Too bad I can't mimic the ti finish in steel, as that to me is one of its nicest features.

Enough self promotion. TE forum moderators: feel free to pull my posts for blatant self promotion