Broctoon

I have no idea either. But in this range, I'd buy the highest level I could reasonably afford. Law of diminishing returns doesn't come into play until you get much higher up the price scale. My wife's FX3 (from 2017, I think) came with aluminum frame and carbon fork, hydraulic disc brakes, 3x9 drivetrain, Shimano Alivio shifters (maybe the same level for derailleurs--I don't recall), and some nice details: really great handgrips and a decent seat. At the time of purchase, we added a Bontrager rear rack and trunk bag, a kickstand, and a taillight. A short time later we put on a water bottle cage and headlight and swapped the seat for one she likes better. The only thing that hasn't lasted well is the pedals. They were a cheap model, and one started coming apart after a few years. The wheels that came on it are tubeless ready but did not have tubeless compatible tires. After a few years I dropped an additional $200 on tubeless tires, rim strips, sealant, and valve stems, and I consider this money well spent. Eventually, we added fenders, and I have no regrets over this purchase.



I missed this before my initial reply above. It's not a bad plan, assuming you know what size she needs, and you are confident in your ability to assemble it yourself. If you're not a fairly skilled bike mechanic, I'd recommend having a shop do the assembly.