I've looked very seriously at that bike to get my wife on a full-suspension mtn. bike. Seems to me to be a sound entry-level full suspension. Yes, there are going to be more effeicient-pedalling designs but they're not going to be under 1K.
You will get a lot of advice here, I'm sure, to go with a better-spec'd hardtail; but you would be giving up the joys of full-suspension for a slight savings in weight and a few better expendable bits and pieces.
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Originally Posted by Mark Twain
"Don't argue with stupid people; they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience."