I'd actually recommend buying from a local shop for your first bike, if there's a good one close by. The warranty service, plus discounts on gear and free tune

I'd actually recommend buying from a local shop for your first bike, if there's a good one close by. The warranty service, plus discounts on gear and free tune ups, will be worth about as much as the discount on a DTC bike. Giant is a good value brand. They make a lot of components in house, so you get cheaper, "good enough" handlebars etc. In that brand, I'd recommend a used trance 29 or a new trance x 29, depending on your budget. I'm happy to talk about bikes for days! Trek, Norco, Rocky mountain are also good value. Just about any modern trail bike is excellent.