Wow...you totally read my mind...I love it!!! I've been in touch with a custom builder in the past few weeks. Seriously considering him to build a custom steel cyclocross frame based on my favorite vintage Italian road bike. I'd use it for riding the rough roads and paths that I don't impose on my restored classic era bikes (they're pampered...only smooth well known roads for them). Vintage for me is late 1980s or very early 1990s, so my current stock of bikes/frames don't have sufficient front fork clearance for anything larger than 23 x 700x. I'd be very interested to know how your Frankenbike (sorry...the name fits...had to say it) rides on rough pavement with 28 x 700c slick tires.