Quote Originally Posted by caligurl
so can i maybe "compare" mtn bike stuff like this:

XTR/XT is top notch = dura-ace
LX/Deore are next = ultegra
Alivio/Altus/Acera = 105

i've noticed SRAM in some of the specs but have no clue what i'm looking at

i'm 5'3" and i think my inseam is 28" (i've grown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! )

hubby and i may be sorry we started to look at mtn bikes... we're both so impulsive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but i'm NOT gonna spend a lot of money.. i'm NOT i'm NOT i'm NOT i'm NOT!!!!!!! (ya right................)
SRAM is a different brand of components - LX, XT, XTR are all Shimano. So the SRAM equivalents (rough guess) woud be LX= X7, XT=X9, XTR=XO.

I just put SRAM shifters on my new hardtail and I like them much better - the trigger shifters just use your thumb rather than thumb and finger for shifting like the Shimano. It's hard to explain, but if you test ride a few bikes with both kinds you'll see what I mean. However Shimano has been around for a long time, so you can't really go wrong with them.

My current hardtail mountain bike is a Santa Cruz Chameleon and I absolutely love it - they fit small, but I'm not sure if it would be small enough for you. You could try one with a super short stem on and see what you think. The Giant STP that you put a link to would probably be fairly heavy, but because of what it's designed for, not because it's cheap. It's a park bike designed for dirt jumping and skate parks, so it's burlier than a cross country hardtail.

If you're just starting and want something light but don't want to spend a lot of money because you're not sure if you'll stick with it, look for an xc (light) hardtail rather than a full suspension xc. That way you'll get better components for the money.