I used to own a 7100, it was my first "real" bike.
It wasn't bad at all. I commuted on it and lost many pounds doing so.
For street riding a shock fork is overkill really. You don't need it for the street. And for light groomed trail riding it is not needed either. How technical are the trails you plan on riding? Something paved or with gravel/hard dirt? If so then the shock won't help at all, it's more of a marketing thing. Plus the RST shock that came on mine was sub-par really. Having said that, the weight of the shck wasn't a concern for me, and I enjoyed every minute on the bike.
Now I ride a fully rigid bike on the street and there really is a difference.
From me to you, if you don't plan on doing anything but commuting and joy riding then the 7100 will fit the bill quite nicely, especially for the price range. there are better bikes/deals out there. but for a first bike the 7100 is not bad at all, so long as you are sure you want a hybrid.