pearcem

So, after a bit of a hiatus, I have gotten back into cycling. It has been a long time since I have posted here, so I would appreciate any feedback. I bought my current bike when I was still racing. It is a 2008 Orbea Opal (Bought new in 09). It is a 54, has Mavic Aksium wheels, and is spec'ed with 10 Speed Ultegra SL. It is a great bike, but it no longer suits my riding style/ambitions or my body. I am no longer racing. I have no desire to race anymore. I have also had quite a few injuries since buying the bike that forced me to take a lot of time off and re-think some things (Torn R Labrum, arthritis in L Knee, Virtually no right ankle, and dislocated L4-L5 vertebrae - thanks Marine Corps!). All of the injuries are "healed", but still bother me fairly frequently. Now that I am able to cycle again regularly, I am just riding for fun and to stay in shape. I am focusing or organized rides, charity rides, centuries, metrics, and just good old fashioned exploring. It has been a blast so far.

I have seen quite a few people about changing the fit on my bike, and so far I have not really had any luck. The more aggressive riding position tends to put a good amount of stress on my lower back, and also puts a lot more weight on my hands, which tends to bug my bad shoulder after long rides. I am thinking it might be new bike time (woo!), but I need to do something that suits my riding style better. I want a steel frame (My last bike was steel and I loved the ride), and I want something that is more comfort/sport touring/club racer oriented as far as geometry goes. I really want a bit more upright position that puts less stress on my injuries. I am debating buying a frameset and using what I have to do a build, or buying a new bike. So, now for the questions:

1) The two bikes that have jumped out at me so far are the Surly Pacer and Crosscheck. I like the fact that they seem to have what I am looking for as far as ride/geo, and the crosscheck has the ability to accommodate large tires and racks. I don't plan on touring right now, but I might in the future, and running a single rack wouldn't be bad for centuries. The price is also good (400-600 for frameset) and while budget is negotiable, a Crown Jewel or new Waterford are out of the picture. What other bikes should I be looking at? I want to be able to ride it before buying (Greensboro, High Point, Wisnton-Salem NC)

2) Should I go with a new frameset and use the parts off of my opal to build the bike, knowing that I would probably have to buy a few components, and try and sell the Opal frameset, or sell the Opal and just do a new build/whole bike? The Opal is low miles, stored indoors, and never crashed. The components are all in good shape, and I feel like cannibalizing the Opal to do a build would be cheaper. I would also end up with higher end components than I would be able to afford new. Some of the compents might not be ideal for the type of build I would want, but they would work fine in the relatively short term.

3) If I did sell the Opal, what should I ask? Also, what should I list the framset for if I go that route? I am a little out of touch with pricing, and my internet research has not turned up much so far for comparable bikes/frames.

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read my post! Much appreciated!