I thought I'd do an update and a ride report. I've been using the bike to tool around town and commute to work with. The bike is light for a mtb and I feel like a kid riding around town on it.
Today I took it out for a longer ride--a 20 miler with some climbing and gravel sections. I was impressed. The straight bars/bar end combo worked much better than I remembered. The gearing is pretty much spot on (46/36/24, 12-28) and the schwalbe supreme touring tires are the bomb. I could easily see this being the one bike I ride pretty much everywhere.