It was a little cold this morning but since I have a pretty flexible schedule I was able to wait a bit before riding in. It was probably in the low to mid-50's when I started rolling. (I'm sure mid-westerners and those from back east are playing the tiniest violin for me right now) lol...

Well my 5.5-mile commute in went perfectly. This frame feels very stable - I like to judge a bike by how easy it is to ride with no hands and this one rocks. There's usually 12-18 pounds in the panniers and I know for some that's not a lot of weight but with the San Jose I *always* felt it back there. Not sure if it's the extra wheelbase, geometry or what but this feels really balanced. Never even felt the weight.

This is my first bike with bar-end shifters and I am loving these things. Using indexing mode on the right side, the shifting is crisp and precise. The left side is friction only and it makes it really easy to trim and make those fine adjustments when using extreme gearing combinations.

The stock Nashbar brake pads are the only questionable component so far. I may let them wear in a bit but I think there's going to be some Kool Stops in my future.

Here it is this morning at my destination: