Originally Posted by
Monster Pete
Tinkering and upgrading bikes can be a fun hobby, and learning to wrench on a cheap bike is a bit less daunting than on an expensive one. Bear in mind though, that you could easily spend twice the value of the bike on upgrading parts. Even low-end components can be made to shift reliably in my experience. Putting high-end, super-light components on a heavy frame makes little sense in my opinion.
+1 Set aside funds for the next bike instead, built up a bike fund, and keep an eye out for a deal on a great used bike.
Building up a frame is a costly undertaking. Instead, find a deal on a nice, used, complete bike. I've never spent $600 to $800 on a bike, and I have some great bikes.
The last bike I bought new was 1975..... Too much good to great used stuff out there.