so i test fitted the components onto the frame/fork. only things not final are the brake levers, headset and maybe the tyres. still waiting on a set of blue Avid Ult SD canti levers to arrive, which will replace the black Avid Ult SD V levers currently mounted.
i installed a silver RF threaded Real Seal HS, as i had the blue one installed on the Catalyst and couldn't be bothered uninstalling right now. as threaded RF Real Seal HS are a fixed stack height with no way of adding standard spacers, and the Gator steerer is a tad longer than what's needed, instead of prematurely cutting it down, i lucked out with a hack i discovered in which i mounted a spare RF threadless top race first and then the threaded RF top race on top to take up the difference. worked out pretty good, it almost seems like it's supposed to be like that.
quickly took it for a spin around the neighborhood and i think i have a winner here. although without proper grips installed, i still got a sense that the bike would handle well and the fit seems to be spot on for me. i thought perhaps the Syncros Ti seatpost might be too short and i would need a longer extension but it was JUST the right height with enough post inserted into the frame to be at the bottom of the top tube edge of the seat cluster.
what's still needed to finish the bike which i've already have is a set of white grips and blue bullseye jockey wheels. i'd like to replace the black avid rollamajig with a blue one if i can find one, but if not, the black will be fine. and the tyres maybe swapped from the current Ritchey Z Max to a set of Smoke/Darts.
now on to reproducing the Sovereign decals before getting the frame stripped and repainted. i'm almost tempted to repaint it black as it is now. the blue and white accents works surprisingly well with the black frame/fork/stem. i could even use a longer black Syncros post i have which would give me even more post insertion to finish it off nicely! :? but overall i'm still leaning towards the blue/white combo i've already come up with.