New Bike 'Day' - Rawland rSOGN

The garage looks a bit different than it did when I went ahead buying the rSOGN off of a RCOG Google groups member, I had intended this buy to satisfy two things; first to be my fat tire trail bike replacing the MB-5 for riding out in Winchester and also at local trail parks and second to satisfy my curiosity with low trail geometry.  After my calamity on the Saluki however those two reasons became a distant second/third to the everyday geared commuter usage until such a time that I get the Saluki rolling again.  Having plenty of versatile bikes in the stable has it's pluses!

While it threw a monkey wrench in my life for the past couple weeks the disassembly of the Saluki did offer some sweet components for the initial build up of the rSOGN!  The brakes, wheels/tires and full drive train all made the transfer to the new frame.  This gives me a good base for setting aside delta's with the components for my initial impressions of the rSOGN.

Here is the build;

Frame: Size ML Rawland rSOGN, stock fork cut to 2.75" above headset
Headset: Cane Creek
BB: Shimano sealed bearing
Cockpit: Moustache Bars, Ritchey 17deg,90mm stem, inner tube tape
Seat: SQ Labs 610 (probably going to be replaced w/ my B17, Kalloy seatpost
Pedals: MKS Grip Kings
Brakes: Paul Stoplight Cantis
Brake Levers: Shimano aero
Shifters: Silver shifter, friction (right only for now)
Crankset: WI Eno, 44T single chainring
Cassette: Shimano 8 spd 12-34T
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Exage
Chain: KMC 8 spd
Wheels: Shimano 105 rear w/ synergy 36T, Shimano dyno front w/ synergy 36T
Tires: GB Hetre EL

I've gotten two moderate rides under my belt of 14 and 20 miles at this point and really like the bike.  I'm holding off getting to definitive with impressions till my fitness catches back up to pre-crash levels and I get some more time on the bike. The stability of the bike, particularly the 'no-hands' stability is impossible to ignore.  I wish I had another inch in stem height somehow and might end up looking for a steeper angled stem to get me a bit of that but I'll probably wait till I try out the build with noodle's first.

That Carradice saddle wedge has seen a TON of use since @dailyrandonneur gifted it to me during a #FMCC!