Well, here is a vote in favor of the low-end Specialized if it fits you: yesterday I went to a bike shop to get an idea of how much I would have to spend on a new bike in order to see a significant weight difference. And if I stick with Specialized, I'm going to have to jump up several price points, it looks like. The $800 Rockhopper is just as heavy as the $500 Rockhopper and the $1100 Rockhopper is only slightly lighter, and I am not sure that wasn't my imagination and the fact that they only had it in a very small size. And the $1400 base level Stumpjumper was also pretty heavy. On the other end of the scale, the Hardrocks aren't dramatically heavier than the Rockhoppers. In the 2005's, the frames on all three bikes are really very similar, although the current models are a bit different.

I could probably get about $300 for my bike but I could also do a whole lot of upgrading for that price differential. So I think I am going to keep it, since the frame is a really good fit -- Treks were a bit lighter in this price range but didn't feel as good to me -- and just plan on upgrading a little every year as I feel like I need to.

Thanks, everyone, for the advice.