Fubar5 the issue is the advices that a welder could do about your requests, when you ask for a bike.-

FatBomber, i'm not a pofessional racer or an specialist, i never ride a full suspension cannondale, for that reason my opinion is only based on magazines articles and pictures. For me Cannondale put to much tubes in the frames, some times i ask myself if it necesary put those tubes, meanwhile others manufacturers with less material made very good things. The other point is the fork, i don't know why they put that HeadShox (i don't know if that's the name), or the Lefty. Why do they complicate the things?.-

I made a list for full suspension mtbs:

Specialized
Giant
Rocky Mountain
Titus
Kona