I don't think this has much to do with the post but figured I'd throw in my two cents - it looks like you want to build a LHT, that's why I don't think my reply does not have much to do with your original post. Anyway, I was originally thinking of also building a bike but ended up getting a complete LHT last year for a tour I'm on now - it was cheaper to buy the complete vs building... I had to pay for labor to build since I knew/know nothing about bikes.

I got the complete bike, swapped out the crank for an SLX, the seat for a brooks, the pedals for some SPDs, got some Swable Marathon XRs, swapped the handlebars for wider ones and threw some fenders on. If I remember correctly, I think I spent under 1600 bucks - that includes the Old Man Mountain Racks, front and rear. So far I have made it through all of Chile, parts of Argentina and most of Bolivia. When I started I weighed about 180 pounds and have been carrying about 75 lbs in gear. The roads I have been on are complete ****e. The bike has been great and have not had any problems with anything - four flat tires and a busted rear rack.

Anyway, my experience so far tells me it's not worth spending the extra money building one with all the wish-list components (Chris King, Phill Wood, Mavic, hand built wheelset, etc, etc); I think it's better to buy the complete (get a lot of bang for your buck), change the stuff you want to change and upgrade as stuff wears out. Good luck... any way you go it's a sweet bike - love mine.