I really want to get into mountain biking so I need help deciding between two bikes. I will also use my bike mainly for commuting while doing trails on weekends. I'm still in college in my co-op work term so have weekends off. My budget is limited and the maximum i could go for is $700 pre tax (Canadian).
I know how to ride a bike but don't have any experience riding on main streets or on biking trails. I would consider getting a good MTB after i graduate in 2 years but for now this is what I can afford. I also won't do hard trails since I need equipment and I also don't want to do them without any friends who are also riding with me for safety reasons. So not stunts / jumps or anything that sort.
The two bikes I'm eyeing for are the Norco Storm 5 and Trek Verve 1 disc lowstep. The Norco is cheaper and has 100 mm front suspension too which I think is a benefit. The Trek is $100 more expensive and doesn't have any suspension.
https://www.norco.com/bikes/mountain/cross-country/storm/2023-storm-5/
Ignore the price of the trek in this website, my local bike shop has it for 699. What should I get
by No-Avocado-2921