Thanks!!
Geez! So many opinions and responses I'm not quite sure where to start! Don't think I've ever gotten so many replies so fast on a forum!
First I'll just thank everybody who responded. Next, well I guess it is pretty much agreed upon that the Reign X1 is too much. And as much as I really do like the look and spec of it, I guess I'll pass.
So I guess the hunt is on again. To touch on some specific posts...
anrothar - The mission looks nice, but I think everyone is saying a 6" bike is a little much, but maybe I'll still take a look....
NJ-XC-Justin - I realize the bent rim is not the bikes fault, but they're so old and out of shape, it wouldn't be worth it to fix them. Thanks for the suggestions; I was already looking at/considering the Prophet,Trance X, Heckler, Dawg, and Dakar XAM, I'll look into the others as well.
Norm - In all honesty, I don't plan to go all that much, so I guess you have a point...
Dualfisted - lol, thanks for the heads up, I know they all like their 29er's but I don't think I'll be too easy to convert.
Bonefishjake - Thanks for the input, and I realize your only trying to help, so I don't want to argue, but if I had wanted financial advice, I would have posted elsewhere.
And it's funny you mention the ING account, I was reading about them last week and was planning to open one up in the next few days anyway! And I know the bike won't hold value, but I'm not expecting it to. I know what I'm doing with my money and thats why I'm looking for one bike to do a lot because I plan to have only this one bike for a while to come. But now that you mention it, $2600 is a little much, so maybe not quite that much, but I still want a quality bike. Who knows...And I know I can't get a bike that can do aggressive XC and DH capable in one bike, but I'm not looking for anything NEAR aggressive XC, and I certainly don't want full DH. That's why I'm looking for a nice, as you put it, "full squish" lol, bike. Something that will take me up and down the trails, but also be able to handle my crap when I wanna do little drops and jumps and such, hence the reason for a strong AM bike being what I want. (I don't know why it always happens, but just like the OP, I always wind up writing so much more than I planned.)
elzoller - Good point about perhaps getting into one thing more than the other and forgetting about a certain bike. But all I know is my favorite thing at Hartshorne was one tricky downhill section with lots of turns and a bunch of little drops, rocks and roots, so I have a feeling if I went to Diablo, I would get hooked. But I guess I'd have no problem renting at Diablo, but I would still like something that could take a little extra abuse around here...
Flat Friggin Tyres - I know all the classifications and such, and I know it's somewhat of a shady area, but I want something in the area between XC and FR, so the whole AM or trail category, something like that. And I don't really think I would want a 29er, as I'd probably do little jumps and drops around town.
Allamuchy Joe - I'm looking into the Trance a little bit. They all look pretty good with nice builds and are certainly much more forgiving on the climbs, but the only thing that turns me off is all the forks spec'd on them. Fox classifies all of them as XC only, and I'd get a little worried sometimes pushing the limit of the forks.
dualfisted - again - I agree, the Trance is looking pretty nice at this point! But I like to think I would attempt a fair amount of stuff at Diablo. Don't know what's there though, so can't comment fully. Maybe not with a certain bike I purchase, but if I rented I may try it, as I used to dirtbike and I could control those heavy bikes around the track and in the air, so I think I could do pretty well on a MTB. And I feel I have pretty good judgment on when to stop myself also, so I wouldn't push too fast too quickly. Who knows...(Not to come off like an ass, but before someone tries to tell me bikes and motorcycles are completely different, believe me I know, very different worlds, as I've done both, maybe not MTB'ing for long, but done them nonetheless. But I feel I have a knack for two wheels. Always rode bikes. Had a dirtbike for a few years, hit 17, sold that, and now I have a sportbike also, which I feel I ride very smart. I started on a small bike before stepping up, took the MSF Rider-Ed course, read books, learned as much as I could and I go to road courses to get my speed out in a safe environment, and took a track school there too...So I'd like to think I'm pretty smart/confident on two wheels.)(Again, always wind up writing so much more than I planned)
Again, thanks to everybody who has commented thus far! I guess since the Reign X1 is out, I'll take some opinions. I guess now I'm looking for something still AM, around 5" of travel I guess, wouldn't mind a HT, but would rather FS, wouldn't really want a 29er, and in the $2000 range. I have no classes tomorrow, so I'm gonna go around and visit some shops. Halters is on my list, so I'll be there, and others along the way. Hopefully my travels help out!
Scott