Looking at all three. Even though the fork is a different brand, it is still at the same level as the two hardrocks. The Hardrocks do use a higher level crankset and bottom bracket. The bruiser has the advantage in the wheel department even though I don't like WTB's rims. Hubs are about the same level. The brakes on both make me really nervous. Neither brakes are good stoppers, but even though the hardrock has discs but they are tektro disc, which have no adjustments and don't stop very well, the linears on the bruiser might be able to be tuned to a point where they can stop a little better than the tektro discs. The parts level other than the cranks and the wheelset are about the same. With the mixed use it is a peashoot to decide which one, but since he does alot of urban riding like you mentioned, I'd have to go with the bike more suited for that category. Out of the three I'm going to have to go with the Bruiser 1 in this case, if the majority was XC I'd say that either hardrock would do.
(Can't believe I reccomended a Trek. I must be sick.)
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Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.