I hope they have given their bikes proper top tubes this time round – it does seem that a lot of american bikes have pigmy top tubes these days. The medium Covert is the same.
SC also need to make sure that they get the trends right because they’re no longer really a small company, admittedly they’re no Giant or Specialized, but they certainly churn our more bikes that Knolly or Banshee.
I agree that it probably is a self fulfilling prophecy with people having off until the debate is settled. I’ve ignored it so far, but it does seem like there will be less and less 26 inch bikes available soon which I assume will settle the debate once and for all.
I also think that a lot of the naysayers (myself included) are probably those people the industry hates who hang on to stuff for ages and buy a lot second hand. My SX frame is a 2005 and is only just getting replaced and my 05 36’s are still going strong and will end up on my new frame.