That's really good information on the 6-month return policy at BTN and Wallingford, thank you! Hopefully my local shops will let me try saddles in their test-ride locations, but if I can't find a comparable policy locally, I'll shop at one of the two online.

We have quite a lot of spray shellac in the garage from Wiggy's various restoration projects, so I'm prepared for their shellacing requirements on the grips.

I'd thought that cyclocross bicycles were only for cyclocross racing. Am I right in seeing cyclocrosses on the continuum between MTBs and road bikes, with hybrids mostly in the middle range and cyclocrosses more towards the MTB end? I'm not yet sold on drop handlebars for me and I think I prefer flat or with a bit of a rise. I looked at the Straggler and Cross Check, and also at some other cyclocrosses from Liv/Giant, Cannondale, Trek and Specialized -- and I like what they all say they can do. I'll be trying out a lot of bikes between now and whatever time I decide to add to the stable!

I'll be reading through the rest of your post slowly, to try and really understand the part about brakes. I have a lot to learn!

(But, I have 5 bikes, and really do need to stop).
Now this, I do understand! I weave, spin and knit. Fiberistas tend to accumulate a LOT of yarn/roving/tools. Once it gets to a certain point we refer to it as SABLE: Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. What do you call it when bicycle acquisition reaches new-garage proportions?

Oh, and I should note that today's ride was 2.5 miles, yay me. I'm stretching it about a half a mile more each day.