I'm more interested in finding a suitable CL deal. I know I can get into something decent new in a price range I'd actually spend, which is far more than I realistically want to spend if I don't have to. What I was more intrigued about was coming up with criteria of what is acceptable to use while weeding through CL.

If you need a range though, I likely wouldn't go more than $1200 or so new at this point. Seeing as I can get a used Bluto and plus sized wheels that fit the fat bike in the $700 range, that is the used target, and the high end target of where I'd jump out to run and buy if something popped up.

The guys I work with, who are far more into MTB than me, have reached more or less the same criteria for the local trails as [MENTION=438566]katsup[/MENTION]: 29er hardtail, air fork, and they tossed in 1x system too.