I'm sure I could find a couple thousand worth of "essential upgrades" for you, but for now...fix what breaks. Replace what you don't like. If you need somebody to tell you what's inferior on the bike...I think you should get used to riding it first. If you can't tell if a product is inferior...get some experience on the trail. Pay attention to how it shifts. Do you want it to shift better? When you roll over bumps...is it too harsh? Does it feel like it bottoms out? Do the brakes stop the bike?


Just get some trail time.