Joe and Jack, thanks for your help.
The Paul brakes worked great, take a look at the final build. I took a trip to Vermont last weekend, where James and Candice (and Mark) did their magic and a bunch of parts plus this frame and fork turned into this sweet bike. They also did some amazing work on my other bikes, but that's for another thread.
I've said it before but they are the really awesome: knowledgeable, diligent, patient and overall just great people. If you haven't tuned into their instagram feed, take a look it's a great way to get to know them a bit.
I'm still getting used to the drivetrain, but the bike feels great, really light and responsive... it's a ton of fun especially after riding my Hunqapillar fully loaded with a bunch of racks and bags. I got a great deal on the frame last year, I think it was in an accident since there's a bulge on the headtube, but the frame looks good, it is true, rides great and James agreed that I still will get many years of enjoyment out of it.
To be honest I was sad to see the SimpleOne go to another list member earlier this month, but with this one built up I'm confident it's a better fit for my riding and my stable. The frame was listed as a 62cm, the custom geo is exactly what I wanted for my long legs / pbh of 91, with a tall seat tube and slightly shorter 58.5cm top tube to avoid stretching out the reach too much.
Max, enjoying this newly built custom in Cambridge, MA