Hi All, my 10 year old son grew out of his 24" Trek that will be passed on to his younger brother, and I'm considering buying an XS size 27.5" MTB. I was looking at Trek Marlin 5 for what it's worth, and it is priced around $500-$600 depending on the year. What would you all recommend for this price range. This is where they start, and component-wise, Marlin and Rockhopper are pretty similar. Are there any other brands that come to mind that may have better components?
I personally ride a carbon Canyon Lux CF 6 Trail and love it. Canyon has only one bike under $2k which is the $700 Grand Canyon 5. Anyways, looking for any ideas and suggestions. Thanks!