Sold my 2004 Trek 4500 last month for $300. Decided to start looking for a new bike in the $2000 range. Went from a Trek Liquid to Specialized Epic to Jamis Dakar to Giant NRS. Potentials, that is. I went into Copeland Sports today, just to look at their Jamis line. I was asking about the ordering process for a Dakar XC Expert and the guy pointed me towards a window display bike I hadn't noticed. It was a Rocky Mountain Element 50. MSRP was $2300 but the guy offered it to me for approx $1400. I checked it out for a while, then decided upon it. He set it up, threw a fork pump in, and off I was with my new bike. Not what I had planned on buying, but I left very happy. The 2004 has a beautiful red color as well. Icing on the cake. I just watched the Rocky Mountain consumer video and I was amazed at how much work they put into building their bikes. Tomorrow I am taking it out on the trails. It's been pouring rain, so hopefully the Earth will have soaked it up by then. I'm glad to finally get a bike, now I can stop researching and just ride. Thanks you guys for the help along the way.