Originally Posted by bmthom.gis

Why? So people think their bike is outdated and worthless and they justify dropping a couple thousand dollars on a bike that "combines the versatility of a 29er with the speed of a 26er"..or some marketing nonsense I have read sounding a lot like that.

I rarely see 26" bikes anymore. Maybe you have some good, smart LBS around you who aren't buying into the hype. Some brands seem to completely embrace it, others seem to be holding out to see if it sticks.