I_T -- I didn't really like the paint job, to be honest; it looks to have some small drips/lumps, but powdercoating does seem to be less nice-looking than a regular paint job. Once it's all festooned with equipment, you'll probably never notice. And in the end, this is a frame that will never fail, and that's what counts for a world tour.
The frame is overkill for my likely uses, so I'll look at the Nomad, the Roberts Roughstuff, and the Berthoud Aventure when Peter gets one in this summer (my timeframe is to get a new bike by next summer, so I can take my time deciding).
Cephas -- I live in Chelmsford (MA), but work up in Nashua, where I used to live. (and I know Peter from when we both lived in the Natick area, back in the 70's (when American bike tourists existed in larger numbers than today))
