Such a lovely place for mtb

Welcome roadie, I'm also kinda new to FS world. However i did my research, compared a 140mm hardtail to a 140/150 full suspension bike.

If you are going fast, there are some downside of hardtail, lack of traction is the most obvious one.
Your ride will be much bumpier in high speed. Given you are off the saddle time to time, you may not feel the harshness of the trail but find it confidence breaker.

When i ride hardtail, I can feel even the smallest root or rock. This was a problem for me especially when i was cruising uphill on the saddle and I'm only 30 y/o.

IMO even the shortest full suspension is better than hardtail.
I would go with fm1001 or you can also check Light carbon LCFS958.

Some information about mtb,

Dropper seat post is kinda a must have
You don't need flagship suspension, you need to tune in.
I would say for 100mm travel fork 32mm stanchions are more than ok. Rockshox recon is a good choice at your total price range
120mm travel, i would choose at least 34mm model. rockshox 35 is a budget model.
Stay away from remote lockout models as they only have no compression adjustment.

Rear shock is determined by two length.
Total length, travel length
Take 185x50mm for example, 185mm(eye to eye length) is determined by frame manufacturer stick with that.
There is a maximum travel for a frame exceeding that, your suspension link going to touch the frame.

Take 50mm travel, leverage ratio dictates the travel of the rear wheel. If ratio is 1:2 lets say, you will have 100mm rear travel. These numbers are determined by your suspension link design.
You can install slightly lower travel rear shock, 185x45mm and you will only have 90mm travel.

There is also trunnion mounting. Normally shocks are standard eye to standard eye.
Lately there are lots of trunnion mount to standard eye. I believe thats a better mounting type and doesn't require bushing or mounting hardware.

You also going to need a bushing for the standard eyelet side of the shock also determined by frame manufacturer.
Thats basically a spacer for rear shock.

Also look for flex stays(single pivot) vs horst stay.

Happy builds!

I’m not experienced at painting but I’d recommend looking at Audi “Prism Silver” or Porsche “GT Silver” if you want a more robust silver.

Don’t forget to protect it with paint protection film when you’re done, at least in the vital areas.

That gt silver paint code:M7Z is exactly what i like and very close to my car actually.

I got some leftover 3m film protection.

and for God's sake make sure you have a very high quality mask and you know how to fit it right. 2/3 part clear coats are absolutely horrible for the body and if they get in your lungs at all, even in a tiny quantity, they will never ever get out. You want to be using filters with an organic rating, like 3M's 6001 for example. PLUS these filters only remain effective for 24-48 hours after you open the package, so maybe get a couple sets!

Paint shop will take care that painting, they already have the equipment and they won't charge me much, tbh just painting is a quick job...

Only need a dust mask, even a quality pandemic mask should be enough for sanding.

I was thinking about re-masking because paper like tape would be ruined after wet sanding, thanks for straight mentioning that tho.

2 colors and 2-3 clear coat are enough then, depending on how thick and liberally they are applied.

At this point I will plan the painting and do the annoying work and let the pros do only the painting, because auto shops are usually busy and work only on cars.

Hi,
I'm Draz, from Turkey. I currently ride a "aggressive" hardtail and own small shop for our community. I come across this forum after realizing an EU/US brand frames are 4-5 times more expensive than what they actually cost. Amazing community so far... Currently awaiting order from LightCarbon FS947. I will share my experience from receiving the frame, building to compare it with my hardtail as quality wise. Also planning to paint the frame and i need help... Probably going to consult an auto body shop as well..