"Uh-uh. Respek Knuckles."
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: CA
Posts: 1,094
Bikes: '06 LeMond Versailles, '04 S&M Beringer, '03 Quamen Bowls, '68 Raleigh Grand Prix (converted to fixed gear)
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You're not going to really go wrong with any of those bikes, pretty much everything at any given price point is going to offer the same features. For dirt jumping I'd look for a little bit more length in the top tube and rear end, as well as relaxed head tube angle. These measurements will obviously vary depending on how big you are, I'm 6'1" and run a 21" frame for street.
Freecoasters allow you to disengage the drive mechanism in the hub and roll backwards and forwards without the pedals turning. Don't mess with a freecoaster right off the bat, they're fussy and complicated and not nearly as strong internally as a cassette or even your standard threaded freewheel.
Cassettes are just like a freehub on your MTB, internal pawls that engage inside the hub instead of a freewheel that threads onto the hub. They're strong, light and allow you to run smaller rear cogs, which in turn allow you to run itty bitty nibbler sprockets up front. Nice to have but for $250 you probably won't be getting one. That's all right, you can live without 'em just fine.