New Commuter

I ended up buying a stock Surly Cross Check and changing out some stuff. It turned out to be quite a bit cheaper than doing a custom job, and the parts are fairly similar to what I'd have done custom (although I probably wouldn't have gone quite this crappy on the brakes, but I can replace those later if they drive me nuts).

Surly Cross Check.
Changed the tires out for some continental street tires (which are on order).
Changed the seat out for a Brooks B17 Champion saddle.
Added the new Shimano double sided pedals. They're SPD on one side, and a nice platform on the other.
Added fenders (which are on order).
Added the axiom rack I already owned, seems to work fine.

All in all it's pretty nice. I haven't even done a half dozen miles yet. But tomorrow will be her first commute! Then I go on a 4 day weekend.

The Brooks saddle is definitely a different feel. It's like a more connected, but gentler, feel on the road. But, if you ignore the bumps, it's really hard. If you account for the bumps, it doesn't seem so hard compared to gel.
I'm sure the steel adds to the ride quality.

The pedals are pretty great for regular shoes. I haven't tried them with my clipped shoes yet. They're not as wide as standard platform pedals, which is a nice feature.

It's good to have a frame that's so standard and has wide clearances. Thank you Surly!