>>133689Going to ask a few questions in order to help out.
How tall are you?
What price range are you working with?
What are the local trails like?
As for general advice, I highly recommend you start with a hard tail bike to begin with, if not a fully rigid (this may vary depending on your trails, budget and skill/fitness level).
The reason for this is twofold, it allows you to get a better bike on the same budget, and low cost dual suspension bikes are AWFUL, and also starting out on dual suspension can really hurt you skill development wise, being slack with body position and learning how the trail feels and how the bike feels across it.
As far as good bikes, it's hard to say until you have a budget. I'd be personally aiming for about the $1000 mark for an entry level hardtail MTB, give or take a little, and then depending on how tall you are, and the geometry of the bike we can start exploring different brands from there.
I personally ride Trek's at the moment, and swear by them these days. I've ridden Giant and Merida in the passed, bother have good bikes also and would happily recommend those to other people also.
Here's some of my bike porn.
