Prices: Everything is going up in price, so that said, I can not effectively make a judgement on value until everything settles out. I would say that for a U.S.A. welded, True Temper tubed frame, $1050 isn’t sounding all that bad.

Weight: I haven’t weighed the bike, but it feels within ounces of my Inbred and that had a carbon rigid fork, while this has a Manitou Minute. I would say it must be reasonably lightweight, but I will weigh it and post up the findings in my next post.

I know that you said this is a comfortable rig, how does it compare to the Inbred? are the prices proportionate to the comfort? does high-end steel take off much weight?

Then I continued my views here: http://g-tedproductions.blogspot.com/2006/09/sloping-top-tube-madness-version-20.html

…….and here: http://g-tedproductions.blogspot.com/2006/09/sloping-top-tube-madness-version-30.html

And finally, this piece: http://g-tedproductions.blogspot.com/2007/01/sloping-top-tube-madness-revisited.html (Warning: Some off color sarcastic ranting here.)

The last three links are from my own blog.

Basically, it is hard not to have a sloping top tube on a 29″er due to the physical nature of the wheel size, rider sizing concerns, and requirements for the use of suspension forks.

My custom Pofahl is at 18.25″ at its shortest setting!

All this to say that the “cult of short chain stays” isn’t always the best or most desirable way to go. I remember how when in the 90’s Mountain Bike Action would perennially choose a Breezer as the best 26″er around and they had nearly 17 inch long chain stays that were at least a quarter inch longer than most bikes of its era. Yet they would laud it as the best handling bike you could get.

I’m not saying longer chain stay bikes are the only way to go, but they are a way to go.
They work and in some areas would be preferable to the ultra short chain stays that a lot of folks think you have to have to make a 29″er, (or any wheel sized bike) handle really well.