-holiday, thanks I'll keep that in mind.
T-Town is Saturday October 2 I believe. The TA Cranks have got 50/28 rings and it shifts very well with the 1st gen Cyclone Derailleur I'm using. I don't ever drop the chain on shifts to the small ring but I do lose it occasionally when shifting up to the big ring.
khatfull & jamesj , i'll add ya to my short list of people to contact when I get some of these all made up. The panniers are still a ways out, but I'm really hoping to have them sorted out by the fall.
bwientjes - Thats something I'm still not sure about and something I'd love some feedback on...My most recent thinking has been that I'll make enough of them the same way so I can have some back stock and then play with the idea of doing some by customer request. For colors Its kind of limited until this starts paying for itself a little...at this point I've spent some money on supplies and tools and a new machine but not sold anything yet. Its enough fun for me that I could care less if I ever make a profit, The downside is that my fabric supplier sells by the full bolt and I had to really beg them to break me off 10 yards as a "sample" to get me started.
I'm not 100% final on all the materials either. The Cotton Duck is the only thing I am 100% sure about. The stuff is great. Tough as nails, keeps everything dry in a downpour, fairly easy to sew...I love it. The Leather trim I really like because It gives an air of quality and sophistication, but I am open to different styles and colors of that. The Trim around the outside of the bag may still change...i'm never 100% satisfied with it but my prototypes all show that it holds up very well.
ideally I'd love to have a more basic fabric trimmed line and a higher end leather trimmed line but thats the little entrepreneur in me getting ahead of myself.