Thanks for the guidance. She's leaning toward the hardtail 29er, but I suspect she's just trying to save me money.
I have no interest in carbon fiber frames. Nothing personal; it's a personal choice, not a social agenda.
Since we're not expecting le gourmet lobsteur, performance-wise, I was hoping to keep it at or below $2500. Figured we could either get a front-suspended fatbike or a fully-suspended 29er.

We both tend to form unfortunate bonds with our beloved road bikes, which is one reason I chose a (bleargh) Specialized FSR with (blech) Sram--something I could beat on, then put away dirty, without any remorse. It's kinda liberating, and I'm hoping to be afforded that same freedom with her bike too.




My loathing of Specialized is also a personal experience, and not based on common, popular sentiment.