Eagerly anticipating...

[Tio]

I teach grad classes in the evening and a few minutes before class my LBS called to inform me that my Lynskey Pro Cross was finally in and built up. Of course, my first inclination was to cancel class and race down to the shop immediately, pick up the new ride, and crank out a few (or many more) miles before the sun set. I relented.

So, I find myself so stoked that the only way that I can enjoy this new toy is to post a pic that the shop owner sent via his camera phone while I was teaching. I love this guy... but damn the torture -- he's throwing salt into the wound.

Here's the quick and dirty: I built it up with Ultegra throughout, the wheelset and fork are each temporary until I can better decide what direction I want to go (I am a primarily a roadie & before I spend the big-bucks on all of the items, I want to learn the nuances of cross riding first -- odd logic given the fold I dropped on the frame, but it works for me).

Attached is the pic the LBS owner sent. I cannot wait until tomorrow!!!

Oh, also, the guys at the shop have already named the bike the "Silver Ghost". I don't know if this name will stick... but I dig the scheme that they came up for the finished product.

[Ronsonic]

Maybe I've been spending too much time at BSNYC, but when I first saw the thumbnail of your photo I thought that was a ginormous top tube protector on there.

[scattered73]

I feel your pain, I will be picking up my new soma double cross tomorrow, and the anticipation is driving me nuts.

Edit: Sweet looking ride btw

[flargle]

Sweet. F&#%ing. Ride.

[Tio]

Hey, thanks for the love!!!

Here's the current build:

Frame: Pro Custom Cross Slider
Front Fork Ritchey Cross
Drivetrain: Ultegra (I am running a compact crank; although not traditional for cross, it meets my needs)
Headset Cane Creek S-3
Handlebar Salsa Poco (with Fizik Microtex tape)
Stem: Contrager RXL OS (105)
Saddle Topeak Allay (for now... will probably go with an SLK or something, but I wanted to try this out to see if it was real or hype)
Seatpost Thomson Elite
Wheelset Ultegra (with Hutchison Piranha CX tires)

Eventually I will probably run a different wheelset, handlebars/Stem, and saddle.

I have attached the pic I took when I got home (damn, torrential rain outside... and I still might ride!!!)

[dzinehaus]

that is sexy minus the bottle cages :P cant shoulder a bike wth bottle cages...
wait.. spd-l pedals? does that work well for cross?

[fogrider]

very nice! I too am primary a roadie, I thing I found was that I needed at least a 34x28 in the rear for going up hills in the dirt. on steep hills I find myself wishing for more...can't stand in the dirt (the rear wheel brakes loose)...but when it's steep I'm better off dismounting.

[Tio]

that is sexy minus the bottle cages :P cant shoulder a bike wth bottle cages...
wait.. spd-l pedals? does that work well for cross?

Yeah, the bottle cages will come off for cross riding.

Yeah, my spare 105 pedals were all that I had in my car when I went to pick it up at the LBS today (needed to do some pedaling on the trainer there to get me "dialed in"). I have already thrown on my mnt bike pedals on... I got over zealous with the pics given I couldn't ride in rain that we have been having.

[Tio]

very nice! I too am primary a roadie, I thing I found was that I needed at least a 34x28 in the rear for going up hills in the dirt. on steep hills I find myself wishing for more...can't stand in the dirt (the rear wheel brakes loose)...but when it's steep I'm better off dismounting.

I will probably have to reconsider this... but most of the guys I ride with are single-speed riders with even more dubious gear ratios.

As it its set-up now, I can do the types of cross riding that I am interested in at this point in my life and use this as an alternate roadie when my road-bike goes to the bike hospital. The truth is, I wanted to thin out my stable of bikes to two and have one of which be an all-purpose bike -- this bike fits that bill.