Consequences of My Decisions

A hindsight review of some of the build choices I made ...

Wippermann Chain - Too early to judge the chain itself but that connex master link is my new best friend.  Slid the pins into the chain ends, then while trying to figure out how it hooks together, the link just snapped into place, almost by itself.  I had to take it apart and reconnect to learn what had happened.  So easy, even a Mahogany head, like me, can do it.

Pinned pedals - Two scratches the first day ... one on each lower leg ... some blood ... no stitches.   After learning that lesson, I've come to like the pins, as they provide a very secure footing that pinless platform pedals can't.  When taking off, the pins provide security even with the foot partially on the pedal.

32 mm Tires - Mixed review.  Some of the bike lanes and streets in my town have a very grainy surface that vibrates through the tires all the way to my teeth.  Fortunately, I don't use those lanes/streets often or for only short stretches.  On smoother surfaces, probably 80% of where I ride, the slender (not skinny) 32 mm tires feel as quick and nimble as hoped.  If I needed new tires today, I'd probably go with the 35 mm size just to hedge my bets, but I'm generally happy with the 32's.

Ergon Grips - Perfect.  Nothing else needs saying.

Orange/Black Coloring - Absolutely love the way the bike looks, even more than anticipated.  I've picked out a few places in my area to hold a quick photo shoot but haven't had a camera with me.  Will post some whole bike pics soon.

Soma Wolverine frame - Not regretting the choice one bit, and no disrespect to eccentric bottom brackets, but sliding drop outs rule the IGH universe, or at least my IGH universe.

Shimano disk brakes - I pull the lever, the bike stops ... any speed, any grade, any moisture (yup, rained in the desert the day I completed the build).  With my only previous experience being cantilever brakes, these disk brakes are worlds better ... many worlds better ... entire galaxies better.

Busch and Muller lights - They work, but I haven't ridden after dark yet so I don't know how well.  Maybe tonight, who knows?

Gearing choice -  The bike's fairly low 17.9 to 94.1 gear inch range, seems to do as designed.  My goal was to use gears eight through 14 most of the time and only drop to the lower seven gears to tackle hills.  The 38t chainring and 16t rear sprocket have done the trick.  Gear nine serves as my take-off gear (gear eight on a hill).  Gear 11 has become my go-to run flat gear, and I've only cranked up to high gear once (just cuz).  I doubt I will ever yearn for gearing above that.

Rohloff - I've already learned to let off the pedals when shifting.  The hesitation only needs to be blink-of-the-eye quick, except between gears seven and eight, which takes maybe two blinks.  Shifting while stopped and the ability to shift several gears at once is the cat's ass.  You derailleur guys can suck it!