DMN

The AC will suit your style of riding. With its air shock it’ll be light enough for XC but still capable of taking some jumps and more. Make sure the frame is in good nick – check the head tube for stress fractures and ovalisation (it should be a perfect circle) also check that the previous user has not used triple clamp forks, pre-2003 AC frames aren’t strong enough for them. From the pic apart from a few scrapes it looks ok – but check it up close first if you can. You can get new Barings etc for them quite easily. There is an AC specific thread at www.mtbr.com (just go into the forums and select manufactures and then Giant – theres even some pics of mine in there).