Hi Matt, I would call myself a beginner but when I saw the comment about an Airborne bike … I had to chime in. I have an Airborne Guardian and I can not say enough good about the bike. I went for the Guardian because of price and thought that I was taking a chance buying a MTB online. I had a great experience and would feel comfortable purchasing any of their bikes. I really like the Hob Goblin if I were to purchase a new bike today. However, the Guardian is a very SOLID bike and I am very happy with it. Hope this helps. John