Well if you really dead set against a fine bike like a Next then I would look maybe into one of these 3.

1) Yeti AS-R

2) Rocky Mountain Element

3) Litespeed Niota TI ( I don't know how you feel about titanium)

The Next comes in some pretty colors. Actually I like the Fisher Cake but you already said you don't like them either. They are as pretty as the Next bikes.