hey dave, thanks. i definitely know it needs to be small enough. after my first xc ride on a bike that was way too big for me, i vowed never to do that again. it was quite a painful experience! santa cruz makes some nice bikes that will fit me (the juliana and the heckler, for instance) but they are so far out of my price range it's not even funny. the 15" 2003 kona dawg will do okay (its standover is shorter than the newer ones) ... and the small specialized enduro frames will work because of their fine geometry. i've had a tough time finding adult bikes that are small enough ... that i can also afford. i'll welcome other suggestions, but i've done quite a bit of looking. i'm really trying to decide whether to get this enduro pro. are you any good at pricing bikes?