I'm a fairly new rider looking for a new MTB for trail riding as well as some offroad fun. I'm trying to decide amongst a Rockhopper '04, Trek 4500 '04, and a Cannondale f300 '04. I've got a great feel for how the specs compare between the Rockhopper and Trek, which it sounds like the RH definitely has the edge. I just tested the Cannondale last night though and it felt real good. How do the specs of Cannondale compare to RH? Thanks in advance for the info...this is a great thread.