Originally Posted by Illinest

I just bought my first - a 750$ bike. I didn't realize how much I'd wish I had a dropper post.

I have also started customizing my bike already. I've heard people say you should spend more up front to get the bike you need, so that you can avoid upgrading a cheaper bike, but you probably don't know what you need yet. I didn't. I discovered I have short arms. The Large frame is the right size for my legs but not for my upper body. Maybe I could've fit better on a smaller frame? Maybe the right move was to get the Large frame and modify the cockpit, as I'm doing?


I think that obsessing over the value proposition is a luxury for people who already have their first bike. The only feature that I drew a line at was a lockout on the fork. I can handle a bit of extra weight on my fork but I can't handle a cheap fork that can't be locked out. You might be able to sidestep that problem if you jump straight to a decent air fork. I wouldn't know. But even if you spend 1200$, don't be surprised if you find out you want to start making changes.