I have to agree that building is a good learning experience and will, hopefully, get you exactly what you want. The greatest down side is that it can be horrendously expensive, especially if your experience or mechanical skills are limited. May I suggest, as others have, that you buy a used, recent model of a bike that close to you ideal ride, join a bike co-op and learn how to completely overhaul it. Then, ride it for a while to determine if it's what you really want. You can also upgrade it as you go. Another option is to buy a close out model from an earlier year. Often very large or very small bikes don't sell. I'm not a proponent of Bikes Direct, but you may want to check them out.

Good luck,

Van