Just to put a fly in the ointment....I had my local bike shop order in the space horse frame, and build it up for me. I have Alex rims with 105 hubs, challenge gravel grinder tires, 46-36-26 triple w/11-32 9spd cassette. Bar end shifters, which work ver smoothly paired with ultegra derailleurs, and salsa cowbell handlebars. All for the very same $1500. I use it mostly for gravel, but it is set with the hoods slightly above saddle height, so riding in the drops is also quite doable for a mile or more at a time to get myself out of the ever present 20 mph headwind.