I've halted my search until spring, because honestly, my bike still works pretty well. I don't think I'll be looking at Santa Cruz, I rode a Bronson for a solid month and just didn't get on with it. Yes, in a vacuum, its a great bike, but I've been spoiled on DW-link. Also, getting back on my bike, I was faster everywhere on it. The only thing not modern on my bike is the sizing and axle standards, however I have a feeling that this new trend of long bikes may be getting people on bikes that are too big for them. The Bronson had a longer reach than my bike, but that didn't translate into extra speed or confidence. Part of the problem I think was the 2.6 tires, I hated them. I'll be waiting to see if Turner comes out with anything new, otherwise I'll be looking at Ibis or possibly even Esker. As for 27.5 vs. 29, it will come down to how the bike rides, but the 29's I rode so far were definitely less agile (except for the Scalpel, but that bike is definitely not for me).