Originally Posted by Fox Farm

I don't fully get where you are going with mothballing the bike. Keep it out, ride it. Sure, get a new bike better suited to your current situation but why put it away???? I ride my 2000 Merlin Ti bike that looks very very similar to your Seven all of the time. I have 15 years ago put on a compact crank when I moved from Michigan to Utah and now here in Central Europe (Czech Republic) it works super fine with the big hills. It is more comfy than my lighter Orbea Orca, not as light weight, but a real honey to ride, and I do. In this day and age, riding up next to someone while you are on a Ti bike, American made with lots of American parts and Italian drive train really is fun, in this world of carbon bikes with Shimano. People here (in Europe) ask me where the hell I came from. I could not imagine retiring the bike, just making upgrades to parts as they wear out, which they really don;t other than tires, chain, cassettes, brake pads, bar tape.

RIDE THAT DAMN BIKE!