I would recommend bikesdirect as a place to get a bike. I bought one for my son from there recently, and 6 weeks in it is all good. Unless you plan on riding off road also, a front shock is just a place to loose energy when you ride. You can soften a hard packed dirt road with tires and somewhat with the frame. You might try a cyclocross style bike. http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...liberty_cx.htm. I like my steel frame, this one has a steel fork at least. I am not a bike expert, but after commuting on mountain bikes for 25 years I recently switched to a cyclocross bike and like it much better. Your mileage may vary . . .