i think for $3000 you should not worry too much about what brand you are buying. anything you buy at that price is going to be a nice bike. instead, you should figure out which bike shop you want to use and choose from what they have on offer. then, you will have place to go that will help you get the suspension set up properly and answer any questions you might have as you learn the ropes. they may even have shop rides that you can join.