If your going in that price range, I would stay with a hard tail. Full suspension bikes in that price range are going to be skimping in so many area. I just picked up a Raleigh Tokul 3 http://www.raleighusa.com/tokul-4381. Pretty great kit for the money. You can see an informative but entertaining review of it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SvBviCq3fQ