Originally Posted by Sunsanvil

Because one day I decided to be honest with myself.

I think with out exaggeration 90% of the bikes I see around town are what have become colloquially known as "Sport" Mountain bikes, which is to say bikes which look an awful lot like mountain bikes but which really arnt. Whether department store junk, or even the sub-$1000 bike store brands, these bike were created to cash in on a false perception. Not a lot of people complain though so the practice continues. Fact is, almost none of those bike will ever see technical off road riding (and they'd fall apart if they did)..

I was in that camp. I bought a $500 Giant Rincon many years ago. After about 5 years of riding (which I grant was enjoyable), I had an epiphany: I NEVER road technical track. A lot of commuting, some trekking, and the occasional fire trail. Hybrid just made so much sense its not even funny.

Guy at the LBS put it best when he said (of hybrids with front suspensions): "Its what the Sport MTB should have been all along". In other words the $500-$1000 mountain bike shouldn't even exist really.