Bicycle Mechanics - Building My Commuter/Fun Bike

As my Valentine's day gift to myself I am buying a Kona Jake (cross) frame to build up for this summer. I am planning on using this bike for light off-road trail riding, commuting, and running errands. I have a few questions:

1. Are there any advantages to having disc brakes?

2. Since I want to install mtb handle bars, what kind of brakes and levers should I look into?

3. Any recommendations for forks?

4. Are there any other things I need to consider while completing this project?

i have a ****ter.love it to death

1. In addition to improved stopping power in inclement conditions, a disc setup will allow you to keep two wheelsets, one with offroad rubber and one with skins for the street, and switch them in a moment.

2. If you go with mechanical discs (I highly reccomend Avids) you can use Avid's Speed-dial levers, which give you a huge amount of tunability.

3. Not a reccomendation because I have no experience with it, but Surly makes an inexpensive disc compatible steel fork for 700c wheels. People who have them tell me they like them.

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1. In addition to improved stopping power in inclement conditions, a disc setup will allow you to keep two wheelsets, one with offroad rubber and one with skins for the street, and switch them in a moment.
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I don't see why a v-brake setup would keep you from using two wheelsets. Remember, the jake is a 700c bike.

Thanks for the feedback. My goal is to go with a simple setup, I am going to head to my LBS and talk to one of the mechanics to get their input on the bike.

Chica,
If I were building up a Kona CX, I would go with shallow anatomic drop bars, either STI or bar-end shifters, and cantis. Or maybe v-brakes with v-road levers...
I would not use Mtb bars.....that'll look like any other hybrid on the road....

George

If you put disks on this bike, you can switch between a 26inch wheel and a 700cc wheel no problem. I think that is what a previous poster was referring to. I have a road bike that I put v-brakes and a mountain riser bar on. I think the aestetics of a mountain bar on a road bike are so nice, but I am a former courier, so there are some ugly bikes that I think look nice. I love it. It is a really fun messing around/errand bike.

Set up for this bike...
VanDessel Country road bob
Thomson Seatpost
WTB Speed-V saddle
XT V-brakes
Avid Ti Speed Dials
Surly single speed rear hub
race face BB and Crank
Salsa MotoAce stem
Big Cheese BMX grips green and orange stars. It looks so good.

I also love commuting on my CX bike, but it is set up in a more traditional CX fashion, except for the bomb proof rear wheel, and the full wrap fenders.

I would have thought it was more difficult to set up two wheel sets with identical disc positioning to use in the same caliper. Is it not easier to change wheels using Vs or Cantilevers?

I would have thought it was more difficult to set up two wheel sets with identical disc positioning to use in the same caliper. Is it not easier to change wheels using Vs or Cantilevers?

I feel that using disks that have more or less the same spacing is not too hard. as long as you do not have to move the caliper up or down or right or left, it is not that difficult. If you are using Avid mechanical disks, there is not an easier brake system to adjust. TOOLS FREE!

If you were to build a 700cc and a 26 inch wheelset using the same hubs (tons of cross bikes use 135mm spacing), you should not even run into this problem.