Finally Purchased: Santa Cruz Nomad '07
So I tried out many bikes from Gary Fisher, Trek, Giant, Specialized, and Transition. I liked how this bike rode best out of all bikes I tried except the '08 Specialized Enduro SL Expert which was very easy to maneuver yet durable, but just a hair over the budget. I even chose the Santa Cruz over an '05 Enduro SL Expert b/c it was a smoother ride. I'm very happy with the purchase, and will be posting pics sometime tomorrow when there is some light to take pics. Thanks for all of the input guys!! Now it's time to ride!!!