You're right, I missed the part on the Bike Commuters website where it said it was frame and fork for $350. I was mixed-up, because the Pake website says "Optional unicrown steel fork w/ rack and fender."

i feel like a big complaint will be that those dropouts aren't long enough

I wish I knew your bike shops. I can't score a Cross-check for anywhere near that price.

crosschecks go for 400

i sold my pake track frame shortly after purchasing it (3 months). geometry was nice but it was just too heavy, not to mention the welds on the damn stays were skewed a bit. i didn't notice until a couple days on it. wasn't a bad frame but if i could go back, i would definitely had gotten the iro group buy i have now for 100 dollars less.

Universal Cycles was selling them for a long time at $380 ($390, now - with free shipping to the US). I called a Touring Cyclist shop, told them I found one online for $380, and the guy on the other end said "I can get you one for $350." Now I have a Cross-Check.

Based on the ease of that transaction, I would guess that margin is high enough that many bike shops will cut you a deal.

The C'Mute looks like a Double Cross with cheaper steel. The geometry on the website says the chainstay is 388 (instead of 425) for larger sizes - that has to be a typo. Nice bike though - I might have bought one instead of a DC had I seen this two weeks ago.