Just got a Volagi Viaje over this Winter, and just now starting to commute as the snow melts off.
I got the Shimano 105 hydraulic group set. I do love this group set. The shifting occurs as if by mind-reading, and the stopping is instant. I had no idea I could stop a bike so fast and still stay on it. The awesome braking does give me an extra sense of security commuting.
I also got the somewhat heavier, 32 spoke, bomb-proof wheels. These are the least expensive Volagi wheels and I am totally happy with them so far.
I love the fit of this bike. It's the first road bike where I've been able to tolerate the saddle in a nose-up position; upshot is that I am no longer constantly re-perching myself but just get into the saddle and stay put. It's also the first road bike I've had that I can happily ride in the drops for extended time.
Beyond the standard Volagi gear, I added: 1) selle italia qbik saddle, 2) fizik bar tape and bar gels, 3) 3T carbon bar (very similar to the FSA carbon bar Volagi uses, but the 3T comes in a 46 cm), 4) shimano pedals that are SPD cleats on one side and platforms with power grip straps on the other - this way I can wear bike shoes or regular shoes depending, 5) a cheap Duracell flashlight for forward lighting, 6) hand-me-down panniers that my mom and Dad used for a bike tour of Austria in the 90s.
The only negative thing I've ever read in a review of this bike was harsh road feel through the bars (supposedly due to the mega-strong fork required for disc brakes). I got a soft cushy bar, plus bar gels, plus cushy tape, and suffice to say I have not experienced any unpleasant road feel on any surface. Maybe with alloy bars and cork tape you'd notice.
I like the Vittoria 32 cm tires on this bike but it can accommodate much larger.
I had planned on this being my fair-weather commuter and all purpose bike, but intended to keep my Cannondale Synapse for triathlons. But despite all the comfort features on the Volagi and added weight of some of my options, I don't think the Cannondale is a lick faster and I'm thinking I will probably sell it.
The thing I noticed riding the Viaje which is probably very different than most cross bikes - the frame is designed for ride comfort and you can really tell. It is very quiet and very pleasant on all surfaces. I've been riding with a friend on his tri bike, and he will be bouncing all over the place on a rough surface that I literally do not notice at all. It's a totally noiseless ride - not just audible noise, but also the kind of vibrational "noise" that you get from gravel or chip and seal. Very pleasant to ride.
Re; made in Taiwan: the frames are made in Taiwan, the bikes are assembled in Utah. It's the best build quality bike I've ever owned, but probably owners of high end bikes would find nitpicky things to fuss about. Works great for me so far.
Despite this, it's also the most comfortable bike I've ever had to stand up and sprint. I am not crazy fast and there are probably hard core sprinters out there who would say the bike is too soft, but I sure cannot tell.
Two random pics from my cell phone that I took on my ride to work on Monday
(sorry for the painfully low res; I will try to do better later)