Yeah it doesn't matter what you ride, as long as you're getting out there. It's like anything really, the more you get into it, you naturally want some better kit.
I doubt I'd buy anything else, although yours looks ****ing mint, fair play. Had a Cinder Cone before mine.
Good healthy exercise mate. Just be careful down there. I remember reading somewhere that there's carloads of scousers out of their tree on acid careering around in your part of the world!
I used to have a green Kona Lava Dome back in the 90's. Loved that bike. I then had a Trek which got nicked from a railway station. ****s (I bet it was Luv) You can get some really great deals on 0% finance from places like Tredz and Evans these days. So anybody can own a good spec £1500 bike and spread it over 3 years for around £35-£40 pcm.
It would be mad of me to go in at prices like that, if I get into it then an upgrade in the future would be on but I'll probably stick with what I've bought for many years, it's hybrid not a mountain bike so I won't be going nuts on it.
This is mine.. haven't been on it much since I took up golf. It's on display in my cellar along with a few dead hookers currently.
I know it's perfect for mountain bikes here, shame I can't be arsed to go cycling! Never rains in Weymouth, so they say.