No haters please! I love C&V bikes, don't get me wrong, but I've been attracted to modern steel bikes recently.

Somas, Salsa, and Surlys come to mind. I've tried out a crosscheck and I wasn't quite feeling it. it felt sluggish and the frame had a dead feeling to it. That said, I still think they are great utilitarian bikes that cater to the population. Anyone have experiences with bikes like the Soma Smoothie or Salsa Casseroll? I haven't been able to find CV sport tourer bikes with clearance for 28c tires and fenders in my area so am thinking about resorting to a casseroll for the girl.