Surly was my first thought, but I got a tremendous amount of resistance from the bike shops that sell them about switching out gears. Granted, these aren't the LBS where I normally shop because they don't sell Surly, so I don't know if they just don't want to be hassled or if it is a real problem. If I really wanted a Surly, I would ask my LBS if they could switch gears before I bought one. However, I am not the type of person who has to buy a new bike every year. As long as I don't get stupid, it is well within my budget to buy custom.

Murielalex, thanks for the tips. I am going to have to look up some of the companies you mention. The couplers do seem like a good idea since I will be shipping the bike. I am still early in the research process, and I will be in Bozeman next year. I wonder if Carl Strong lets people into his shop. It is funny that you mention the dings, because all of the custom sites sell touch-up paint. I hear what you are saying about people judging the expense. Most of my friends ride, so they don't have a lot of room to talk after dropping $8k on a Cervelo, but people who don't ride can be shocked by the price of bikes. But how much does golf cost? What about the people with boats? Cycling isn't the most expensive thing out there, it keeps me healthy, and I am much easier to live with when I get enough exercise