You Have $2,000 to Spend on a new Mountain Bike. Which One?

For this survey we're interested in which sub-$2,000 mountain bike you think offers the best value.

A couple months ago we asked you which mountain bike you would buy with a $5,000 budget. This time around, we want to know what you would do with $2,000 to spend on a mountain bike. For some that might be too hard to imagine, so think about a friend who wants to start mountain biking, and they can’t spend a penny more than two grand.

Of course saving up a bit longer and spending more is an option, as is buying used. For this survey however, we’re interested in which sub-$2,000 mountain bike you think offers the best value.

Include the name of the bike plus the build.

Bonus question for the comments: Did you pick a hardtail or FS bike, and why?