No way of telling, unless you tell us what you want from your bike.
Cannondale and Gary Fisher are both decent brands. Which is the best bike will be determined by the quality of the parts they're built with.
Gary Fisher is famous for inventing the modern mountain bike. He was also known for competing in road and track races. Gary Fisher was the winner of the Masters XC national title and the TransAlp race in Europe around the 1970s. After a while the Trek bike replaced the standalone Gary Fisher brand of bike.
The fork
The forks are the parts of the bicycle frame to which the wheels are attached.
Gary Fisher and roommate Charlie Kelly started "MountainBikes", the first company to manufacture Mountain Bikes, in 1979. FYI: The frames were built by Tom Ritchey himself (who founded Ritchey Designs in 1983). In 1983, Fisher took over the company and changed the name to "Gary Fisher Mountain Bikes". In 1991, Fisher sold the brand to Anlen (a major manufacturer in Taiwan), but stayed on as President of the company. In 1993, after what Fisher calls "two excruciating years", Trek acquired Fisher from Anlen.
I weighed mine as soon as I bought it and with all the stock parts the total was 31lbs.
The serial number on a Gary Fisher Aquila bike is typically located on the underside of the bottom bracket, which is the part of the frame where the pedals are attached. It may also be found on the rear triangle or on the seat tube, depending on the model year. Look for a series of letters and numbers that may be stamped or engraved into the frame. If you have difficulty finding it, consult the owner's manual or contact a local bike shop for assistance.
Gary Fisher bikes are available in a wide range of prices, which obviously mean that the 2nd hand value also can vary a lot. Generally speaking bikes don't hold on to their value particularly well, so your best bet is to check craigslist, eBay for similar bikes and see what they sell for.
The Lexile level of "The Bike" by Gary Soto is 680L.
There are a few men who can be called pioneers of the sport, including Tom Ritchey and Gary Fisher. But, one man is credited with building the first "purpose built" mountain bike frame, Joe Breeze
They're both good, but the Gary HooKoo E Koo is a classic, a solid performer, very reasonably affordable and embodying the eclectic style of the Fisher style.
To verify the authenticity of a Gary Fisher product, you can perform a serial number search by contacting the manufacturer directly or using online resources such as bike registries or forums dedicated to cycling enthusiasts. Input the serial number into these platforms to check if it matches the manufacturer's records and confirm the product's authenticity.