i'm looking to buy my first cyclocross bike as soon as possible. i used to be a x-country rec racer and am looking to get back into riding everyday after some time out. i've looked at the trek xo1, cannondale cross, jamis nova, k2 enemy, kona jake the snake, surly crosscheck, redline conquest, even the ibex cross bike. but i can't tell much from most of the reviews i've read and won't get to ride them all. i want the cyclocross bike best suited for singletrack and all mountain riding and am willing to sacrifice a bit of road and dirt speed to accomplish this. i'm looking to spend less than 1000 dollars. i like the jamis because it's steel with a carbon fork and i'm used to good old reynolds but i read that jamis uses the same geometry on this bike as on their road bikes. a mechanic told me that the k2 enemy has geometry that makes it ride more like a mountain bike in the singletrack. and i love kona's but haven't riden a jake. outside of that, i'm lost. anyone have any ideas on which bike might fit my vision or if there's any other options? thanks so much for the help.
-jim

I've got a Surly Crosscheck and ride singletrack w/ it, handles well. I built mine up from a frame, but a complete one can be had for pretty reasonable. Check their site for a spec sheet on the angles. You might also want to check out their Karate Monkey frame, 29" (700c) wheeled mountain bike frame. Lots of people set these up as do-all rides: trail/cyclocross/road. Slightly heavier than the Crosscheck but very versatile.