sure...do the research after you spend the big bucks

Got smarter on bikes and bike parts on the internet..too late since I already bought one, but it's better to be smarter anyway. I do that a lot....go buy something and then go research whether or not what I did was smart. Maybe one day I'll straighten that process out, but I obviously haven't yet. I didn't do bad with what I bought. Most of what I read on several bikes by reviewers seems to come from people who routinely ride 75-100 miles in a shot, and a few hundred miles a week, and are trying to find ways to shave another 10 grams from the weight of their bike and be somewhat comfortable. I'm nowhere near their league.

I read several reviews on different bikes I looked at when I was picking mine out, and others just for comparison. There seems to be a recurring theme. All these guys spend a few thousand dollars on a bike and then start replacing pieces of it. They dump the stock saddle because it's not comfortable enough. They dump the stock wheels because they're too heavy. By the time they finish I would think they've paid for another bike. I don't know. Maybe when I start riding 100 miles at a time (don't hold your breath) I'll get all that, but for now...I'm liking my bike with all the pieces/parts that came on it.