I just got into mountain biking and have been using a friend's bike. I'm looking for a mountain bike that I can afford and that will last me a bit while I develop my skills and what not. I know it's a low price range, but $300 is the most I can do, preferably lower, but $400 if it's something I cant pass up. I figure as a beginner, I'm looking for a hardtail with disk brakes. I also ride street and am probably doing a decent trip this summer, so a fork that locks is pretty key. I already have the semi-slicks picked out for it. Im 5' 11'' and need something that can handle as hard of riding as a beginner can dish out.
I was also wondering if there are any rental places that sell their old bikes for cheap, or would they be too beat up?
I really appreciate any help with this, I've been looking like crazy now that summer's coming