Fork's ok. Rather have a lockout, but running the air up in it pretty much serves the same purpose. It's the original on mine. Biggest issue is finding another short travel that won't whack the geometry of the bike because that's it's strong point (other than the fact that even converted to disc the bike only weighs 24lbs)

I picked mine up on CL for $150. Fully rebuilt from the ground up I have like $700 in it total. Fastest hardtail I own, which is why I kept it.. I basically just ride it up to the singletrack area a couple miles from my house and play with it.

-R