So true.....for the trails here in the NE. Bike has to be able to handle technical steepish uphills and alot of tight stuff.Be careful what you wish for. It doesnt matter if its light, or pedals well, because in my experience going slacker than 67.5 will turn the bike into a complete dog. These bikes inherently require more gas to ride well on flat and uphill terrain, and beyond that angle you've stopped riding xc and started pedaling simply for the downhills. XC bikes aren't dh bikes, and there really is a point where the bike is too low, too slack, and completely not worth the effort.
Out west it might be a different story though. Alot of that riding seems like hours of climbing to hit super long descends...