I bought a new 08 Specialized Stumpjumper pro closeout at a great price from my LBS. That being said, Craigslist has several FS mountain bikes that are a real bargain. I kinda wish I looked around a little more knowing what I wanted. As you said, informing yourself is the key and I am pretty sure you can find a bargain. You can also checkout mountain bike review (www.mountainbikereview.com) for great tips and reviews, they also have a classified section.