Anything Niche or Microbrand were more money has been spent on the catalogue than the product and R&D surrounding that product.
I have an issue with things like the Yeti cross bike. The Yeti core product is fine, just not sure about their cross credentials. It costs alot, it's got Yeti on it don't make it good beyond question. Other companies do this sort of thing.
Giant hmm. Massive company, huge resources, massive reasearch budgets, faultless product and well represented in every sector of the sport. I race one for that reason. Though I am aware my XTR equiped XTC race bike is at a glance similar in appearance to their £200 jobs. Not a bike to aspire to? very true, but for out of the box performance superb.
Hopes, love them and no problems. In fact I'm ruuning a set of Mono Minis that a bike shop threw out as beyond repair, nothing at wrong with them..
I think though I'm guilty a little of inverted snobbery.