Hey I-R,
thx for the post; you're right about the fork, it's Al.
I ended up with the canti version, and was horrified at the amount of brake chatter. We're talking at any speed, with any modulation of brakes (all but the lightest touch). A brake you can't use isn't very useful in my book. Sometimes you simply have to stop right now. (especially on the road as a commuter)
Took it back to the shop (RiverCity), where they put on Deore v-brake on the front, and it works fine. I can stand on the brake hard enough to flip the bike over if I want, and no chatter.
Not sure if I like the v-brake due to tire clearance, but I'll try it for a while. A lighter fork and different brakes will probably be something I try if I get really into racing. I'm going out this week with some local racers who go to Pier Park for a training loop this weekend. They promise to go easy until we get there.. Not sure what to expect, but I'll be happy just to hang w/them to and from the park...
I really like the bike; nice geometry, good off road, very stable and comfortable, even on an 18 mile ride on Lief Erikson. I love the color and cockpit. I feel spoiled with STI shifting, my late 80's roadbike has downtube indexed DA (7 speed), this is a treat! I wish it had lower gearing, but the only way to make that happen is to replace the crank with a compact version... So I'll hit the weight room more instead :-)
I think it's a lot of bike, and am looking forward to getting familiar with this bike, and this sport.
thx,
Francis