Actually, this LBS is in a town 25 miles from where I live. There's more LBSs in the next town over from that one. I chose this one 'cause I was already in the area (I go to college just down the road from there.)

He told me that Jamis makes some good bikes, but he was also trying to make a sale... So what do you guys think? I've been looking around the 'net for a while for bikes and hadn't heard any mention of them until I walked into the shop today.

He told me that the equivalents of the Cross Country in other brands would sacrifice quality in one component in order to put a more expensive component elsewhere on the bike. But, I assume that's true for most entry-level bikes.