One somewhat overlooked bike that doesn't get a lot of mention is the Rockhopper FSR. It was Specialized's entry-level FS. It had the Horst-link 4-bar setup and was a perfectly capable bargain FS with a low-end-but-serviceable parts spec. 'Back in the day,' some shops were blowing them out the door for under $700 new; seems like you should be able to find one used, maybe with a few choice upgrades for half that. Just a thought . . . .