fietsbob, the camera angle accentuates the lever position. Seeing them in person doesn't make them look so high. But, we've been through that discussion already.

I was quite happy with my first extended ride of over 50km at the weekend. The Brooks on mine is a second-hand one I bought over 12 months ago, and it was originally destined for my fixed gear. It had had very little ride time with the previous owner, and the stain on it was flawed. But, hey, my eBay bid made it worth it, the stain flaw is under my butt most of the time anyway, and remarkably, it felt comfortable from the get-go.

That along with the longer wheelbase and the use of Schwalbe Duranos at 75-80psi and, I suppose, the steel construction, made the overall ride fairly plush.

We're doing an out-and-back overnighter this coming weekend (between Wangaratta and Beechworth). I am looking forward to it. I won't have my new Altura panniers (another English company) and our new Zefal Cyclop mirrors (we use one on our tandem and it's excellent), but we'll get by with old stuff

I'm also about to order a pair of bike alarms that fit discreetly under the bidon cage. I don't want the nightmare of Machka's bike theft repeated, and the alarms along with bike locks will go some way to preventing this.