Hey, was in a similar position having rode my hardtail GT Avalanche 1.0 for a few years. Bought the Spark 30 a couple of months back and have no regrets. It really feels good all round (speed, climbing, single track). And the price seems good - paid 27K for mine. Think they retail for around 30K. One thing to watch out for is now that the 2012 range is being released you might get some really good deals on the 2011 range. That or wait for the 2012 Spark. Cheers.
