Originally Posted by
Latitude65
Bought my first road bike last year. This year was my first year riding regularly and with intent. It also has taught me some things that other newbies might find interesting to consider. Who knows, maybe even others will benefit?
>"Better" as defined in road cycling is mostly a matter of small weight differences and much larger prices. Little or no performance difference in the hands of all but the most competitive racers. Even then it is questionable whether it is the rider or the bike that made the difference.
Since it's your first year and it looks like you only have one bike I think you'll change your mind about this eventually. The reason you might want more expensive shifters or derailleurs, for example, isn't because of the small weight differences but because they work more precisely than less expensive ones. And I'm not saying that will make you faster or better in some way, but because a precisely functioning machine can be satisfying in its own right, and a top of the line shifter/derailleur combo is better in that regard than lower level components.
Keep enjoying...