Originally Posted by
Darth Lefty
I don't think I'd go for a FS bike below Alivio or without real damping. That will run you north of $1000 new even on discount sale. But MTB people are like magpies for new stuff so there are amazing deals on fairly recent used 26" bikes.
Tell me about what "real damping" means, I've never had a FS bike (or even disc brakes) so I'm not up on the tech. The linked FS bike has 'coil-over-cartridge', I know FS BSOs are simply a spring, does the cartridge = damping?