Which bike should to choose?

Question
Hi Michael,

My name is Mike.  I am currently at a crossroad.  I am trying to decide between a Trek mountain bike 3900/4300 or a Trek 7300 FX.  This is my first time buying a bike so I'm pretty new at this.  I am currently a college student and will using it mostly for commuting purposes and exercising.  But at times I may be riding along rough terrain but not as rough as in down muddy hills.  It's more so maybe down a grassy hill or along a dirt bike path.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Mike

Answer
Hello Mike,

Nice that you asking me for this question.
But very often you should make the choice!
First I should take a bike with a good suspension fork.
Not the cheapest but certainly not the finest one unless you have a lot of money.
When you ride in hills for pleasure it will be than a good choice.
And also for commuting purposes.
But first ask the shop for a free test ride, so you can look if the extra weight for the fork isnt bothering you.

And when you have a midclass fork, you can always put it on a better bike.

Happy trailz

Michael