Is there a level cap? From some I hear 20, others I hear 26, and even some I hear 50.

You level is capped by your major skills. At around 50-70. However you can reach a maximum level of 255. You just have to know how to work the system.

Could you please tell me how to work the system...

Please?

The average character build will lvel cap at 49. But its pointless, by level 35 you're nearly invincible.

There are ways to lower your major skils such as going to jail. You don't lose any level but you can build them back up and level again.

And cheesy it right there is little point after 35 or so. The game doesn't really get any harder.

Any ideas on how to get to go to jail without having your infamy rise? sure my fame is 160 but my infamy is slowly catching up to that... Certian offences have less affect on infamy? punching a guards lights out for instance? (the imperial jailer has had at least a couple broken noses from my desire to be jailed)...

Jailtime? You can't just train forever like in Morrowind?

quote Alicia n John

Any ideas on how to get to go to jail without having your infamy rise? sure my fame is 160 but my infamy is slowly catching up to that... Certian offences have less affect on infamy? punching a guards lights out for instance? (the imperial jailer has had at least a couple broken noses from my desire to be jailed)...

But that wouldn't lower your skills at all. That would be a waste of time.

And no you can't train endlessly. The max you can have in any skill is 100 with out enchantments. Maybe 103 since my swordsmanship is at 101. Halfway to 102 but the bar stopped moving.

Do all the quests the permanently raise stats after the skill reaches 100. My Blade is 112, without items.

Best one for that is the Hermaeus Mora quest. After that, I am now permenantly at 110 in Sneak, Light Armour and Acrobatics. And as they were all major skills, I got around 3 levels in one go.
And as everyone else has said, it makes little difference what level you peak at. Once you hit 25 you're pretty much invincible. At 35, you're basically godlike.

quote Shattered Silence

And as everyone else has said, it makes little difference what level you peak at. Once you hit 25 you're pretty much invincible. At 35, you're basically godlike.

quote Koloth

But that wouldn't lower your skills at all. That would be a waste of time.

And no you can't train endlessly. The max you can have in any skill is 100 with out enchantments. Maybe 103 since my swordsmanship is at 101. Halfway to 102 but the bar stopped moving.

I just want to know if there is a more honorable way to get to max level. I don't really fancy the idea of having a high infamy level.

I don't think enchanted armor would work. It is based on you base skill level. Which the system only counts without the enchanted items. You need to find out a way to lower the base level. And as far as I know the only way is to get locked up for a while.