Help on what bike to buy?

if your just doing light trails i would get a hybrid bike cause the are multi purpose and you can get a desent one for that price. as for a mountain bike go the extra mile and spend the money to get a good bike and not a walmart bike. if you spend like 375 you could get a specialized hardrock or for 250 you could get a full disk diamondback hardtail. i personally have a specialized hardrock (2007) and got a new shimano deore derailuer, jagwire pads, and biotuned grips. the bike has never let me down and will last a lifetime.