I did. 9 speed cassettes, RD and chains are not interchangeable with 10 speeds.

:popcorn

I haven't owned 43 bikes. With the notable exception of toothbrushes, I don't think I've ever owned 43 of the same particular item over the span of my life.

Assuming each bike has a ebay/craiglist value of $500, you have $23,000 sitting in your garage. That's an awful lot of inventory for someone who works in a bike shop.

I would figure that you could buy a frame and frankenstein a pretty sick ride simply cannibalizing spare parts on your other bikes.

pubb

its more like a warehouse and I have one sick obsession. And im not going to frankenstein a bike, That would defeat the point of having 44 :) I want a brand new bike thats going to last a lifetime++

Before anybody calls me on it, I know that 500 * 43 is NOT 23,000 but rather 21,500. I'm a moron in many ways, but I can USUALLY do math reasonably well...

pubb

sounds like you're a little bike spoiled : P

oh, where are my manners. Well my 2 cents: you get what you pay for usually, the elite has better components. . . but if I bought one it would be the LHT. . . O.o if that makes sense . . . the LHT looks like a more rock solid bike, and you can use it as a mountain bike if you really wanted to.

sounds like rainy day angst. Can you share your list and ranking of touring bikes? LHT being one of the most truck like unless you go to Salsa (aka mountain bike) Fargo and Aurora Elite being a spritely day rider.

Angsting over components brings to mind other tour bikes in between. Below exotic but BMW range Rivendell Taiwan bikes are nicer and pricer. Salsa Casseroll, Raleigh Sojourn or Fuji Tourist? How about a rebuild of a classic? Seems like a rebuild' get you there and have tons more class.

yep I started a thread about it here:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=558172