Weir

Mark Weir is switching bike sponsors from Santa Cruz to Cannondale.  Now, I'm more of a suspensionless steel rider anyway, but I've been around.  I've ridden full sus, too.  I keep track of what's up, and what I like. 

Boy, I sure hope they paid him a boatload of money (a boat, since C-dale is no longer made in PA, but rather overseas), to switch from what is almost universally agreed to be the best bikes going for the kind of riding Weir does, to Cannondale, who I agree always had a good DH team, but never released the bikes they raced.  They certainly seem like durable bikes, but I just can't lose the feeling of a Cannondale as a rich guys' XC bike (there are much more expensive options, but they always seemed to end up on Cannondale.) 

Did I mention that Weir LIVES in northern CA?  Hmmm.  Odd.

That said though, the guy's got a small child at home (and a wife), and his house burnt down last year or the year before.   Whatever pays the bills.

These are just my thoughts.