Day 2 demo:
I want this bike.
It just makes me grin and it makes me want to keep going.
All I changed was the nasty stock arse-axe for my Spesh BG saddle - and so Friday night's short,curious delight became Sunday morning's 'don't want to ever go home' revelation.
In answer to OP - 'what do you use it for?' I would happily use it for everything I do. I don't race, I use bikes for exploring/adventure, touring, camping, utility, work (photography/painting), social rides and going solo/dickingabout on long or short singletrack trails just for the hell of it.
The only niggles I can find are small and not incurable, ie gearing is sub-par for long road tours - spinning out on long downhills. Also the gusseting at the headtube seems to be a moisture trap (see pic). Lastly I don't favour indexed bar-end shifters - but I can live with them or change them.
This is the kind of bike I've been attempting to cobble together for years. It just fits everything that I do. Solid but not a lead weight, forgiving but not noodly, pretty but not poncey, stable but not boring. Haven't had a chance to load it up but I would love the chance to disappear for months on end with a Vagabond, camera and bivvy kit. I bloody love it.
