I'm starting my bike shopping and I'm looking for a more relaxed, light-touring oriented bike (as opposed to the more racy frame I have now). I'm also looking for a steel bike. I might still get a bike with STI but I'm open to experimenting and I'll try other systems.
I'm finding that most bikes I otherwise find interesting have Sora or Tiagra-level parts. I'm used to Ultegra and I really appreciate the responsiveness of it compared to other bikes with lower-grade parts I've ridden. I was thinking I'd want at least 105-equivalent parts on the new bike.
Any thoughts? Have you had Tiagra on your touring bike? Do you have suggestions for bikes that come - stock - with higher-grade parts?
Thanks!!