I am trying to build a commuter / light tourer / gravel road rider. I wanted to go with a salsa vaya, but the build is going to cost too much.

My back up plan is a surly cross check. I happen to already have a set of 32 hole deep v wheels with shimano 105 hubs so going this way will save me the cost of new wheels.

My lbs has a used apex crank and a used set of rival gear mi us the rim brakes. So I can get a apex / rival power train in a 50/34 175 crank with the 11/32 cassette.

I need to buy all the other comps off the Internet at close out type places and assemble this myself to make the dollars work.

Does anyone have any experience with this sort of build? If so can you point me to some sources for the remaining parts and, for that matter what are the remain parts?

I get I need canti brakes, seat post, seat, pedals, but not sure ifmthemframe comes with a seat post clamp and a headset or not, and I need a stem and handlebar


Any specific advice would be appreciated (am getting a surly rear rack from the local bike shop along with the frame..