Had my first (muddy) outing yesterday on the South Downs a few miths have been dispelled:
1 - I did not find it particularly less confortable than my steel Sunn Exact. Having said that, the Sunn is stiff for a steel frame and the mud may have helped hide the harshness. On the plus side, the stiff chassis makes for a far more direct/responsive handling and steering.
2 - Disc brakes are an absolut revelation. I naively thought my XTR Vs were unbeatable and while the discs are no more powerful so far they are sooooo much more controlable and confidence inspiring.
3 - Reba forks - coming from SID SLs 99, the difference in stifness is shocking. I really liked the SIDs but the REBAs are amazing, albeit quite heavy.
4 - Compact frame with short stem. I have come down from 20 to 18 inch and 120 to 90mm. Maybe it's at the detriment of climbing potential but so much more fun otherwise. Going OTB is much easier though !!