Originally Posted by
Darth Lefty
I've been riding an Acera-level front-suspension Hardrock through several incarnations for more than a decade now, including a stint as a commuter, and it's served well. I didn't find the cheapo no-damping suspension fork to be a big deal once I maxed out the preload. I wore out the inner chain ring and broke a few spokes on the rear a while back, but any other money spent has been either for preference or self-inflicted damage.
I agree that today's cheapest level MTB's are a bit too junky. I'd definitely spend to get the one with a freehub and damping. But today, at least,
that's $550, not $1000.
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bi...rt-650b/106497
...and that's a Specialized, you might be able to do better with a discount brand.
On sale now for $550. Retail is $700, which is pretty much what I said about entry level being $700 to $800. I suspect once the sale is over, Specialized will raise the price back up, or likely replace this model with a new one that will retail for $700 or more.