Originally Posted by
cyccommute
I agree with everything you've said except this. I've logged thousands of off-road miles on seriously challenging single track on a hard tail. Many of them with forks no more sophisticated than what you'll find on a Diamondback from Dick's Sporting Goods. I'd suspect that the Diamondback's fork is at least as good as a second generation Manitou.
Yes. I agree with you, too. A hardtail is fine for just about everything, especially if you are an experienced, skilled rider. What concerned me about he OP's question was that he said that he was new to MTB riding. He could learn on an HT, and that was what I suspected I was recommending by suggesting that he ride the Diamondback.
I rode a department store full suspension Mongoose for two and a half years until the frame pivot failed and the spring fork froze. The right hand twist grip shifter was broken, too, and you had to finesse it into gear, which was reversed rapid-rise. All of these things told me that it was time to replace/upgrade. But at that point, I knew what I needed and what I could afford.
I hope that the OP is reading this...