i've noticed a lot of specialized love going on lately. seems my pb friends list is littered with brand new speci's.

 Well, I was looking at different bikes, and the Stumpy had the angles I wanted, the parts spec I wanted, and it was available within a week of when I ordered it, so I picked it up. Plus, I love the color scheme on this frame. It's simple, but well spec'd, and at a great price point. It climbs like a frickin' goat, but descends like a light-weight-twitchy little goat. So I love it. Heavier wheels would make this thing ride almost as good as my SX Trail... which, mind you, weighed almost 10 pounds more.

 sounds like you want/need an enduro?

 The Enduro was an option. But I was looking to get away from the SX Trail, and the Enduro was substantially heavier than the Stumpy, substantially more expensive, and was a little too close to the SX Trail for my taste. I'm super stoked on the Stumpy, man. I threw the 55mm Haven stem on it last night, and the wider Easton Havoc bar (check the pics) and it rode like a whole new bike. Climbing with that short stem wasn't too fun, but the climbs near my place are brutal. Short, but brutal. But the wider bar definitely made the descents a lot more fun.

 i'm not sure what your stumpy weighs, but my enduro is sub 30lbs. it's almost the best of both worlds. if i had 1x10, i think it would be spot on perfect. but i also don't buy new, so i understand the cost/parts concern.

 Yeah. With the mortgage and our son due in July, I needed something new and reliable with a legit warranty in case something happens. So I played it safe and bought new.