Shouldn’t be hard for a company like Fisher or Trek or Specialized, Kona or Giant to have a frame available for right around or slightly under a grand.

$700 for a rear shock alone - damn that would have to be one helluva good shock.

Now a frameset……that’s different. If Fisher would offer that Super Caliber as a frameset they would sell many of them, in my opinion. I think that could be done under a grand with a middling damper installed. Nothing platformish, mind you. Heck, what’s a good rear shock cost retail these days? $500 to $700 bucks?

A “real” off roadable hardtail 26″er goes for around $700.00 alone. Add a good rear damper, a couple of pivots, and disc brakes and a grand is gone…..poof!

Under the $1,000 threshold. To my knowledge nothing like that currently exists does it?

Both affordable, check it!

A lot of new entries in the hardtail realm, but not too many companies taking a stab at a full suspension 29er that would be a good value versus the custome or boutique offerings from Ventana, Niner, Lenzsport, and eventually Turner right?

Now that I’m riding my Karate Monkey rigid and soon single speed - I’d love to see an affordable full suspension frame come on the market for geared and FS duty in my stable (My lonely Reba needs a frame).

Who will be on that “does not make a 29″er” list at the end of 2007?

I’ll be willing to bet Trek will be one of the few.

Picking your first 29″er will be SO much harder in 2007 than it is now in 2006!
In 2003 if you wanted to build your own, you were simply going to buy the Surly. It never goes fast enough, like in a car on the high-way, you wonder where the pedals are to make it GO. Till you stick your arm out of the window…