Addendum to Day 1 post (NEW BIKE!!!)

I just realized I did that post without ever introducing the bike.

This is my new Van Dessel Whisky Tango Foxtrot.

This will be my new commuter bike, and will double as my touring bike.

Honestly, I wasn't planning on building this bike when I did, but I contacted Van Dessel to ask a couple questions about this frameset, assuming it was out of stock and I'd be waiting to get one when the next years' stock came in, but they happened to have a frameset, with a mis-applied decal that they'd give me a great deal on, and it happened to be my size.

So, with that, late January the frameset arrives, orders begin, customs bags are specced, hard to find items are searched out and procured, and by mid-May everything is ready, and with less than 200 miles on it in testing, I load it up and take it on tour.

The build out is probably overly nice for a commuter, but considering its double-duty nature, I felt it not unreasonable.

Specs:

59cm WTF frameset
Deore LX FC-T671 Crankset 3x10-speed 48-36-26
Shimano 105 ST-5703
Shimano Deore LX FD-T671
Shimano Alivio RD-T4000-SGS
SRAM PG-1050 12-36
KCNC PF30 Adaptor Bottom Bracket
Thomson Stem
Lynskey Seatpost
Brooks Cambium C17 Saddle
TRP Spyre Calipers
Deore XT rotors
Deore XT Dynohub/Velocity Dyad/ 36 DTSwiss Competition 2.0/1.8/2.0
Alivio Rear Centerlock hub/Dyad/ 36 DTSwiss Competition 2.0/1.8/2.0
B&M Lumotec IQ Fly Premium RT Senso Plus
B&M  Secula Plus
42cm Salsa Cowchipper bars
SKS fenders
Conti SpeedRIDE 42mm tyres *

Luggage:
Framebag: Rogue Panda custom
TopTube Bag: Rogue Panda
Panniers: Carradice Universal
Seatbag: Carradice SuperC Saddlepack
Porteurbag: Swift Industries Polaris custom
Front Rack: Specialized Pizza Rack

* A note about the Conti tyres: I can no longer recommend these, as they both had failures during my tour, with the cords in each of them failing in near identical spots.