£5-600? 29?
29er = Voodoo Bizango
2nd hand Whyte 529
What price point do you start getting a dropper?
A higher one than buying without and getting a brand X from CRC, usually.
Defo buy the bike you want and just buy a brand x post for £100 from cRC separately.
If it doesn’t need to be 29er then maybe also consider a Vitus Nucleus for your budget.
MBUK did a bike test of similar prices hardtails - as well as Bizango they tested a very slack Marin, a Pinnacle and one other (that won the test but I’ve forgotten what it was)!
A Vitus won out of the four.
Ah yes - must be the Vitus Nucleus - it’s won other mountain bike budget bike tests too so there must be something in it. I have the Sentier which is the next hardtail up from the Nucleus and it’s great so far.