Originally Posted by
SlimRider
Both of those frames are made of chromoly steel...Get one and build it up to whatever you want. At the end of the day, you'll have a bike that will last you for decades.
I second that.
I got a '96 Gary Fisher Mamba from my bro for nothing and have spent maybe $150.00 over a 18 month span and have a really nice bike. It is cro-mo and plenty strong. Cool thing is, you can find parts that will work with these older bikes for cheap if you look around.
As the others said, make sure it feels good when you ride it. 18" and 22" is a pretty good size difference, so make sure you ride them both. And not just to the end of the driveway. Around the block or something. I ride about like you plan on riding, but have started getting in the dirt more, and my bike is handling it well. Thing is, it feels great after switching out a few parts, and I can ride pretty decent distances with no ill effects.
My one suggestion would be to start working on it yourself. You will save some bucks and if you are anything like me, you will get some great satisfaction out of it. This site as well as others are a great source of information.
Feel free to hit me up any time you have any questions, as I would be more than happy to help.
Keep us posted on what you decide.