My girlfriend got one last year and loves it - her ridding has come on leaps, she is as fast as she was on a Scalpel but can climb and decend much better, I got the 09 earlier this year and agree it is a bit noisy but it climbs up anything and so fast on the downs - has to be ridden hard though, harder you ride it better it is and the more confidence you get.

Takes a while to set up when new and is fairly critical on sag settings, spend some time getting this right and you will be rewarded, get it wrong and it will feel like a normal bike

Overal this bike is awesome for all day rides Marathons and trail centre use - if you want 1 bike to do it all this is it,  finish everny ride with a grin as long as the rest of your ridding buddies are fast and can keep up. now down to 1 MTB bike used too ride long travel for the lakes, Dales and Peaks and short travel for enduro's now this bike does it all and better,