Finally buying the new bike -- but where?

[ZoneFive]

I'm curious what bikes you tested, and why you decided on the Ogre. Was it just the way it felt? Or did you like being able to carry 5 bottles of water? (I would love to be able to carry more!).

I tried (in no particular order): Surly Ogre, Troll, Long Haul Trucker, CrossCheck and Straggler; Salsa Vaya 3; Giant/Liv Rove 2, AnyRoad and AnyRoad CoMax; Specialized Ariel . . . that's all I can remember, so let's say I tried ten bikes. The Ogre was about the 6th or 7th that I rode, and it just felt right. The Ariel, CrossCheck and Vaya felt almost spindly in comparison -- which isn't a slam on those bikes, just that the Ogre felt sturdy and still flexible. They only had a size Medium in the Ogre, and it was just enough too tall that I had to mount from a stairstep in the parking lot of the shop, but once I was on I honestly felt like I could ride for hours. (I tried the CrossCheck in a Small, and that frame fit me much better.) I found that I prefer the 29-inch wheels, the shifters are comfortable (bar-end shifters are right out), I love the Jones loop handlebar, and the whole no-nonsense vibe. In fact the only thing I don't like is the color choice -- Blacktacular and Tarnish Grey. Distinctly meh. But if that bothers me after a year or so I can get the frame blasted and repainted for not a lot of money. And even though really long rides -- centuries and multi-day events -- are far in the future, the ability to add carriers is a definite plus.

I did my best to make a rational choice, but the bottom line is that I felt like I could ride forever on the Ogre, and that made the decision.